THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

DAVIS 


I     *• 


m 


^X 


tJ    Ph 


MAP 

or      THE. 

GREAT  CENTRAL  VALLEYo^CALIFORNIA 

ISSUED      BY 

THE  CALSTATE  MINING  BUREAU 

J.J.CRAWFORD 

STATE  MINERALOGIST.. 
ACCOMPANYING  REPORT    OF 

W.L.WATTS 

ASSISTANT  IN  FIELD. 


_M.    MARSH   AND 
■^pVEKFLOWEO  LANDS 


'^ 


CALIKORNIA  STAXK   NIININO  BUREAU. 

J.  J.  CRAWFORD,  State  Mineralogist. 

BULLETIN    NO.  3.  San  Francisco,  August,  1894. 


THE 


GAS  AND  PETROLEUM  YIELDING  FORMATIONS 


CENTRAL  VALLEY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


By  W.  L.  watts,  M.E., 

Assistant  in  the  Field. 


EERATA. 


Page  22,  on  27th  line,  read  efflorescent  instead  of  "effervescent." 

Page  75,  on  14th  line,  read  18.96  instead  of  18.63. 

Page  75,  on  16th  line,  read  2.246  instead  of  2.207. 

Page  75,  on  22d  line,  read  20.890  instead  of  20.525. 

Page  75,  on  23d  line,  read  20.890  instead  of  20.525. 

Page  75,  on  24th  line,  read  45.9  instead  of  45.3. 

Page  79,  on  10th  line,  read  64,000  instead  of  63,000. 

Page  43,  on  15th  line,  omit  the  following :  ("  See  table  of  water  analyses.") 


SACRA  ^lENTO: 
STATE  OFFICE,    :   :    :    :    :    A.  J.  Johnston,  supt.  state  printing. 

1894. 

UBRARY 

UNlVERSn  Y  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


California  State  Mining  Bureau,  ) 
August  1,  1894.  \ 

To  J.  J.  Crawford,  Esq.,  State  Mineralogist: 

Dear  Sir:  I  have  in  the  accompanying  article  correlated  all  the 
information  I  have  as  yet  obtained  concerning  the  gas  and  oil  yielding 
formations  in  the  Central  Valley  of  California  and  the  neighboring 
foothills.  Appended  thereto  are  the  results  of  experiments  made  to 
determine  the  fuel  value  of  the  natural  gas  both  at  Sacramento  and 
Stockton,  and  in  certain  localities  situated  in  the  upper  portion  of  the 
San  Joaquin  Valley. 

In  recounting  experiments  and  stating  results,  I  have  used  the  metric 
system,  except  in  the  case  of  the  brine  analyses,  wherein  the  results  are 
given  in  terms  of  grammes  to  the  gallon.  To  do  otherwise  would  in 
many  instances  have  necessitated  the  expression  of  results  by  both  the 
English  and  metric  systems,  and  that  would  have  added  to  the  time 
which  the  preparation  of  this  article  has  consumed,  and  increased  the 
amount  of  printed  matter. 

Yours  respectfully, 

W.  L.  WATTS, 
Assistant  in  the  Field. 


THE  GAS   AND  PETROLEUM  YIELDING  FORMATIONS  OF 
THE  CENTRAL  VALLEY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

By  W.  L.  Watts,  Assistant  in  the  Field. 


As  is  well  known,  the  Central  Valley  of  California  comprises  the 
Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin  Valleys,  which  are  bounded  on  the  east 
by  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  on  the  west  by  the  Coast  Range. 

THE    SACRAMENTO    VALLEY. 

It  is  on  the  tide-water  lands  at  the  southern  base  of  the  Potrero  Hills 
in  Solano  County  that  natural  gas  is  first  encountered  in  the  Sacramento 
Valley.  When  this  locality  was  last  visited  by  the  writer,  large  quan- 
tities of  gas  were  bubbling  from  several  springs.  These  springs  also 
yield  copious  flows  of  water  and  have  washed  out  basins,  one  of  which 
is  more  than  100  feet  in  diameter,  and  is  said  to  be  30  feet  deep  at  high 
tide.  One  of  these  springs  was  dry  and  gave  oS  only  a  small  amount 
of  gas.  It  was  said  that  this  spring  had  been  very  active  earlier  in  the 
year,  and  appearances  indicated  that  such  had  been  the  case,  for  the 
spring  had  evidently  brought  up  a  quantity  of  light-colored  sand,  which 
smelled  strongly  of  petroleum.  Other  springs  were  said  to  exist  in  the 
neighboring  marsh.  The  range  of  these  springs  is  from  a  northwesterly 
to  a  southeasterly  direction,  and  it  is  quite  likely  that  they  mark  a  line 
of  earthquake  fracture.  Inflammable  gas  is  said  to  have  been  struck 
in  a  deep  well  near  Goodyear  Station,  between  Benicia  and  Suisun; 
and  Dr.  Dobbins,  of  Vacaville,  states  that  while  sinking  a  well  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  that  town,  he  penetrated  a  black  shale,  which 
smelled  strongly  of  petroleum.  This  shale  can  be  seen  standing  at  a 
great  angle  in  the  bed  of  Ulattis  Creek  not  far  from  Vacaville. 

It  does  not  appear  that  inflammable  gas  has  been  found  in  the  valley 
lands  of  Yolo  County;  but  in  Colusa  County  natural  gas  is  found  in 
many  places,  both  at  the  base  of  the  foothills  and  in  the  foothills  them- 
selves. In  this  county,  natural  gas  is  generally  associated  with  brine 
springs,  as  is  the  case  at  the  head  of  Salt  Creek,  in  the  foothills  west  of 
the  villages  of  Arbuckle  and  Williams.  On  the  Stovall  ranch,  some 
8  miles  west  of  Williams,  a  well  was  bored  in  18S5  to  the  depth  of  150 
feet.  In  this  well,  which  is  now  filled  up,  the  water  was  salt;  gas 
bubbled  up  freely  through  the  water,  and  was  readily  ignited.  The 
formation  is: 

Soil .- 30  feet. 

Shale 30  feet. 

Soft  sandstone 90  feet. 

A  few  miles  west  of  this  well  the  foothills  are  reached.  The  forma- 
tion is  shale  and  sandstone,  wliich  dip  in  a  northerly  direction  at  an 
angle  of  about  20°.  Not  far  from  where  the  Freshwater  Creek  enters 
the  main  valley,  a  6-inch  well  was  bored  in  1864  or  1865  to  a  depth,  as 


—    6    — 

some  say,  of  300  feet,  and  as  others  say,  of  900  feet.  The  casing  is  now 
nearly  filled  up  with  rubbish  which  has  been  dropped  into  it.  A  small 
stream  of  bitter-tasting  brine  still  flows  from  the  well,  and  inflamma- 
ble gas  rises  through  the  water.  A  few  yards  north  of  this  well,  thin 
strata  of  shale  and  sandstone  dip  a  little  east  of  north,  at  an  angle  of 
about  70°.  The  barometer  here  showed  an  altitude  of  160  feet.  A  mile 
or  so  farther  west,  on  the  Lake  County  road,  near  the  Mountain  House, 
a  spring  yielding  petroleum  is  reported.  At  the  McMichael  ranch,  on 
the  Lake  County  road,  a  well  was  bored  for  oil  many  years  ago,  but  it 
is  filled  up.  On  this  ranch  numerous  thin  strata  of  shale  and  sand- 
stone are  exposed.  The  strike  is  nearly  north  and  south,  and  the 
dip  is  in  an  easterly  direction  at  a  great  angle.  The  barometer  here 
showed  an  altitude  of  about  300  feet.  About  one  and  a  half  miles 
southeast  from  McMichael's  a  second  well  was  bored  on  the  Stovall 
ranch,  which  still  yields  a  small  quantity  of  both  gas  and  oil.  Farther 
west  the  road  crosses  a  divide,  on  the  summit  of  which  the  barometer 
indicated  an  altitude  of  1,200  feet;  the  formation  dips  in  an  easterly 
direction  at  a  great  angle. 

As  Bear  Creek  is  reached,  the  stratified  rocks  are  metamorphosed,  the 
strike  being  west  of  north,  and  the  dip  northeasterly  at  an  angle  of 
about  70°.  On  this  creek,  at  a  short  distance  from  the  roadway,  is  the 
oil  claim  of  J.  P.  Rathburn.  Here  the  stratified  rocks  give  place  to 
serpentine  with  oil  exuding  from  it,  and  forming  small  pools  upon  its 
surface.  (See  table  of  oil  analyses  at  the  end  of  this  bulletin.)  Between 
the  roadway  and  Mr.  Rathburn's  claim,  jaspery  rocks,  impure  limestone, 
and  sandstones  traverse  the  creek.  Farther  up  the  stream  a  compara- 
tively unaltered  sandstone  is  exposed,  which  has  a  strike  of  west  of 
north,  and  from  it  a  heavy  petroleum  oozes  in  scA^eral  places.  In  the 
creek  near  these  oil  springs  gas  can  be  seen  rising  through  the  water. 

Also  on  Sulphur  Creek  there  are  both  natural  gas  and  petroleum,  and 
on  this  creek  fossiliferous  limestone  crops  out,  which  smells  strongly  of 
petroleum.  The  fossils  were  principally  Bynchonella  Whiineyi.  At  the 
Elgin  Mine,  on  this  creek,  gas  issues  from  a  hole  about  3  feet  deep,  and 
the  writer  saw  it  burning  with  a  flame  about  3  feet  in  height.  Immedi- 
ately above  the  gas  spring,  between  croppings  of  sandstone,  is  a  decom- 
posed shale,  which  emits  a  fetid  odor  and  inflammable  gas  when  disturbed. 

At  Sites'  Station,  close  to  the  foothills  in  Colusa  County,  a  well  was 
bored  in  1886  which  yielded  salt  water  and  inflammable  gas.  The 
formation  is  stated  to  be  as  follows: 

Adobe  soil -. -.. 28  feet. 

Shale 45  feet. 

Hard  "slate" 265  feet. 

The  well-borers  state  that  at  a  depth  of  146  feet  a  thin  vein  of  aurif- 
erous rock  was  passed  through;  that  in  this  rock  free  gold  could  be  seen, 
and  that  borings  from  it  assayed  at  the  rate  of  $360  a  ton.  Below  a 
depth  of  28  feet  this  well  yielded  salt  water,  and  the  saltness  increased 
with  the  depth  of  the  well.  The  salt  water  appeared  to  come  from 
seams,  which  were  about  6  feet  apart.  At  a  depth  of  about  130  feet 
inflammable  gas  was  observed,  and  the  quantity  of  gas  increased  as  the 
well  was  bored  deeper.  At  the  completion  of  this  well  the  salt  water 
stood  within  4  feet  of  the  surface. 

At  the  Petersen  ranch,  about  three  miles  north  of  Sites,  there  are 
several  brine  springs  from  which  inflammable  gas  issues.     These  salt 


springs  are  situated  in  a  small  valley  leading  into  Antelope  Valley  at 
the  edge  of  the  foothills,  and  at  an  altitude  of  about  200  feet.  During 
the  winter  the  extremity  of  the  small  subsidiary  valley  is  occupied  by  a 
shallow  lake,  Avhich  has  an  area  of  about  25  acres.  This  lake  dries  up 
during  the  summer,  leaving  a  deposit  of  sand  and  loam  washed  and 
blown  from  the  adjacent  hills.  This  accumulation,  which  is  mixed  with 
much  salt,  lies  to  the  depth  of  several  feet  on  a  bed  of  bluish  clay. 
From  any  boring  penetrating  this  clay  to  a  depth  of  6  or  7  feet,  salt 
water  and  inflammable  gas  are  obtained.  About  15  feet  lielow  the  sur- 
face a  sandy  stratum  is  encountered,  which  yields  a  still  larger  amount 
of  brine  and  gas  than  is  obtained  in  shallower  wells. 

The  geological  formation  of  this  locality  is  very  interesting.  On  the 
northern  side  of  the  lake  a  friable  sandstone,  streaked  with  calcite,  is 
exposed,  which  dips  in  a  southwesterly  direction  at  a  great  angle.  On 
the  southern  and  opposite  side  of  the  lake  a  similar  sandstone  is  to  be 
seen,  but  it  dips  to  the  east  of  north  at  an  angle  of  about  55°.  This 
locality  exhibits  a  similar  geological  structure  to  that  seen  at  Tuscan 
Springs,  in  Tehama  County. 

About  half  a  mile  east  of  the  salt  springs  the  formation  is  fossil- 
iferous,  and  several  Cretaceous  fossils  were  obtained  in  the  second  tier 
of  hills  from  the  Sacramento  Valley.  These  fossils  were  submitted  to 
Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper,  who  determined  them  as  follows: 

Trigonia  tryoniana,  Gabb ---  Cretaceous. 

Actxonina  Calif ornica,  Gabb --- -. —  -  Cretaceous. 

Dentalium  stramineum,  Gabb Cretaceous  B. 

Ammonites  batesi,  Trask -.. Cretaceous. 

CucuUxatruncata,  Gabb .' Cretaceous. 

Lunatia  avellana,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Area  breweriana,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

The  formation  from  which  the  fossils  were  obtained  consists  of  shale 
and  sandstone  with  thin  strata  of  fossiliferous  limestone.  The  strike  is 
west  of  north,  and  the  dip  northeasterly,  at  an  angle  of  about  50°.  It 
appears,  therefore,  that  these  fossils  are  of  the  same  age  as  the  fossils 
found  at  Tuscan  Springs  in  Tehama  County;  namely,  Cretaceous  and 
of  the  Chico  group. 

Passing  northward  into  Glenn  County,  natural  gas  appears  to  have 
been  observed  only  at  one  place.  The  formation  yielding  the  brine, 
however,  seems  to  skirt  the  foothills;  for  it  has  been  struck  in  wells 
about  17  miles  west  of  Willows.  There  are  also  said  to  be  brine  springs 
about  3  miles  west  of  Elk  Creek.  If  wells  were  bored  in  the  formation 
yielding  the  brine,  the  probability  is  that  natural  gas  would  be  found. 
The  only  place  in  this  county  where  natural  gas  is  reported  to  have 
been  observed,  is  at  the  Rideout  ranch,  near  Norman.  On  this  ranch 
two  wells  were  bored,  each  to  the  depth  of  940  feet.  The  formation  pene- 
trated is  alternate  strata  of  sand  and  clay.  A  small  amount  of  inflam- 
mable gas  is  said  to  have  been  observed  in  these  wells  when  they  were  first 
bored.  In  1892,  a  small  stream  of  fresh  water  was  flowing  from  one  of 
these  wells  which  is  about  two  miles  north  of  Norman,  but  the  gas  had 
either  ceased,  or  had  been  "  cased  "  off. 

In  Tehama  County,  inflammable  gas  has  been  observed  in  several  wells 

which  have  been  dug  in  the  western  portion  of  the  county.     In  a  well 

about  half  a  mile  north  from  Stony  Creek  Buttes,  the  formation  is  stated 

to  be  as  follows: 

Soil --.. 5  feet. 

Cement  gravel  (this  stratum  yields  inllammable  gas) -.30  feet. 

Blue  clay 43  feet. 


On  the  Stark  ranch,  in  Sec.  8,  T.  26  N.,  R.  4  W.,  M.  D.  M.,  about  7 
miles  southwest  from  Red  Bluff,  inflammable  gas  was  struck  in  black 
clay  at  a  depth  of  75  feet.  The  gas  prevented  work,  and  was  ignited 
by  the  workmen;  the  well  was  then  abandoned.  A  similar  experience 
was  had  in  a  well  dug  to  the  depth  of  about  60  feet  in  Sec.  16,  T.  28  N., 
R.  4  W.,.M.  D.  M.,  on  what  is  known  as  the  Oakwood  Colony  Tract,  11 
miles  northwest  from  Red  Bluff. 

In  the  autumn  of  1891,  a  well  was  dug  on  the  Thurman  ranch,  about 
9  miles  northwest  from  Orland,  and  at  a  depth  of  25  or  30  feet  inflam- 
mable gas  was  encountered.  This  was  ignited  by  a  workman  while 
lighting  his  pipe,  and  resulted  in  his  receiving  severe  burns. 

Crossing  the  valley  to  Tuscan  Springs  natural  gas  is  again  found.  At 
Tuscan  Springs,  as  is  well  known,  inflammable  gas  issues  together  with 
thermal  water  from  the  upturned  edges  of  Cretaceous  strata,  and  at  one 
time  the  gas  was  used  for  heating  the  baths  established  there.  These 
springs  have  so  often  been  described  that  it  is  sufRcient  to  say  the  Cre- 
taceous rocks  here  present  an  anticlinal,  and  the  water  and  gas  escape 
from  fractures  upon  its  axis.  The  geological  formation  at  these  springs, 
and  at  the  Petersen  ranch,  near  Sites,  in  Colusa  County,  presents  great 
similarity.  It  is  only  reasonable  to  conclude  that  the  gas  is  of  Creta- 
ceous origin. 

Research  amongst  the  wells  of  the  Sacramento  Valley  brought  to  light 
an  interesting  phenomenon.  In  portions  of  Tehama  County  known  as  the 
Chaparral  Hills  and  the  Adobe  Hills,  what  appear  to  be  currents  of  air 
are  found,  sometimes  escaping  from,  and  at  other  times  being  drawn 
into,  strata  of  sand  or  porous  clay;  and  the  direction  of  these  air  cur- 
rents appears  to  depend  on  the  condition  of  the  atmosphere.  (See  our 
Xlth  report,  page  478.) 

The  only  inflammable  gas  in  Butte  County,  so  far  as  heard  from,  was 
on  the  ranch  of  M.  Wick,  about  6  miles  northwest  of  Oroville,  where  it 
was  struck  in  boring  a  well.  The  gas  was  ignited  and  is  said  to  have 
blazed  up  for  several  feet  above  a  5-inch  casing.  The  formation  pene- 
trated is  stated  to  be: 

Loam... 2  feet. 

Cement  gravel 6  feet. 

Yellow  clay 16  feet. 

Soft  sandstone , 8  feet. 

In  Yuba  County  inflammable  gas  was  struck  in  a  well  bored  to  the 
depth  of  218  feet  at  the  Buckeye  Mill,  and  in  a  well  180  feet  deep  at  the 
waterworks.  In  boring  the  well  at  the  Buckeye  Mill,  the  formation  was 
found  to  be  strata  of  clay,  sand,  and  gravel.  Between  the  depths  of  80 
and  1 40  feet  much  partially  decomposed  wood  was  brought  up  by  the 
auger,  and  strata  of  clay  were  penetrated,  which  showed  the  impressions 
of  numerous  shells.  Gas  was  struck  between  the  depths  of  212  and  220 
feet. 

At  the  waterworks  and  at  the  Buckeye  Mill  the  gas  collects  in  the  air- 
chamber  of  the  pump,  and  is  frequently  ignited  from  a  burner  attached 
to  the  air-chamber  for  that  purpose.  It  burns  with  a  fairly  luminous 
flame,  but  it  contains  some  carbonic  di-oxide. 

•  Crossing  the  Feather  River  to  Sutter  County,  we  find  that  inflamma- 
ble gas  has  been  struck  in  several  wells  which  have  been  bored  to  the 
south  of  the  court-house  in  Yuba  City.  These  wells  are  less  than  60  feet 
deep.    At  one  place  inflammable  gas  was  noticed  issuing  from  the  ground 


—    9    — 

during  wet  weather.     In  some  of  the  wells  in  Yuba  City  where  natural 
gas  was  observed,  the  formation  is  as  follows: 

Soil  -- - 20  feet. 

Quicksand 6  to  20  feet. 

Blue  clay - 40  feet. 

Blackish  sand,  with  gas. 

At  one  well,  which  is  60  feet  deep,  a  cap  was  fitted  to  the  top  of  the 
casing  with  a  nozzle  half  an  inch  in  diameter,  and  the  gas  was  burned 
therefrom,  producing  a  flame  more  than  2  feet  in  height. 

In  February,  1864,  a  shaft  was  sunk  to  prospect  for  coal  on  the  ranch 
of  Eli  Davis,  at  the  foot  of  the  South  Butte,  about  6  miles  from  Sutter 
City.  The  shaft  was  about  40  feet  deep,  and  from  the  bottom  of  it  a 
'  tunnel  was  run  about  40  feet  in  the  sandstone.  In  this  sandstone  inflam- 
mable gas  was  struck,  which  being  ignited,  resulted  in  an  explosion,  to 
the  injury  of  the  miners.  The  gas  escaped  from  seams  in  the  sandstone, 
and  a  roaring  sound  attributed  to  it  could  be  heard  at  the  mouth  of  the 
shaft.  Subsequently  another  shaft  was  sunk  a  short  distance  from  the 
old  one.  This  second  shaft  is  about  4  feet  square  and  30  feet  deep,  and 
two  wells  have  been  bored  therein.  The  first  well,  which  was  sunk  in 
the  60s,  is  60  feet  in  depth;  it  still  yields  inflammable  gas,  which  smells 
of  petroleum,  and  burns  with  a  luminous  flame,  fluctuating  from  a  few 
inches  to  about  2  feet,  from  the  top  of  a  6-inch  casing.  The  formation 
penetrated  by  the  4-foot  shaft  is  a  somewhat  bituminous  shale  to  a 
depth  of  28  feet;  in  the  shale  two  little  seams  of  water  were  struck.  The 
boring  at  the  bottom  of  the  shaft  was  made  for  32  feet  in  sandstone. 
Below  the  shale  the  borings  were  dry,  and  it  is  said  that  the  flow  of 
gas  was  so  strong  that  it  blew  the  borings  out  of  the  drill-hole.  A  drill 
and  chain  are  said  to  have  been  lost  during  the  boring  of  this  well.  In 
1891  another  well  was  sunk  in  the  4-foot  shaft.  This  well  is  about  2  feet 
from  the  first  one,  and  although  it  was  bored  to  a  depth  of  130  feet,  it 
yielded  but  little  gas. 

As  is  well  known,  the  Marysville  Buttes  are  principally  composed  of 
volcanic  rocks,  but  as  the  writer  has  nowhere  seen  a  description  of  the 
very  interesting  sedimentary  formations  on  the  flanks  of  the  Buttes,  he 
considers  that  the  following  note  may  be  of  interest: 

Leaving  Sutter  City  by  the  South  Pass  road  leading  to  Colusa,  a 
valley  is  entered,  formed  by  spurs  from  the  Marysville  Buttes,  and  these 
spurs  are  covered  with  micaceous  trachytic  lava.  At  the  base  of  the 
Buttes  the  sedimentary  rocks  are  exposed.  At  the  Newcomb  ranch  the 
creek  by  the  roadside  has  cut  into  the  bank,  showing  a  bedrock  of  sand- 
stone and  light-colored  shale,  the  strike  being  north  of  west.  The  Buttes 
are  a  cluster  of  volcanic  eminences  which  rise  to  the  height  of  from  1,827, 
or  thereabouts,  to  2,178  feet.  On  the  western  portion  is  a  ridge  with 
four  principal  summits,  and  on  the  east  are  three  more  isolated  peaks, 
while  several  spurs  and  hills  of  lesser  elevation  surround  the  main 
group  of  mountains.  In  ascending  the  most  southerly  peak  from  the 
Moody  ranch  patches  of  light-colored  sand,  toward  the  base  of  the 
mountain,  mark  the  sedimentary  formations  and  the  coal  measures.  A 
few  fragments  of  fossiliferous  rock,  showing  Cretaceous  fossils,  may  be 
found  on  a  portion  of  the  slope.  The  upper  part  of  the  mountain  is 
composed  entirely  of  micaceous  trachytic  lava,  which  l)ecomes  more 
crystalline  toward  the  summit.  The  best  exposure  of  sedimentary  rocks 
was  seen  at  the  base  of  the  West  Butte,  about  a  mile  from  the  village  of 


—  10  — 

that  name.  On  the  west  side  of  the  Buttes  the  sedimentary  strata  are 
cut  through  by  ravines  nearly  at  right  angles  to  the  strike  of  the  forma- 
tion. In  one  gulch  the  evidence  of  successive  displacements  can  be 
observed.  Near  the  mouth  of  the  gulch  strata  of  sand  and  gravel  dip 
in  a  southwesterly  direction  at  an  angle  of  about  15°.  A  few  yards 
higher  up  the  creek  the  formation  changes  to  whitish  sand,  iron-stained 
in  places,  the  dip  being  northwesterly;  and  in  two  or  three  places  the 
dip  of  the  whitish  sands  is  variable,  changing  from  northwest  to  south- 
west. The  white,  sandy  formation  rests  upon  Cretaceous  shales  and 
clayey  sandstones,  which  dip  in  a  southwesterly  direction  at  an  angle  of 
about  70°.  The  Cretaceous  shales  are  traversed  by  thin  strata  of  fos- 
siliferous  limestone.  From  the  shales  and  the  limestone  strata  several 
fossils  were  obtained  by  digging.  These  were  submitted  to  Dr.  J.  G. ' 
Cooper  for  examination,  and  he  classed  them  as  follows: 

Leda  gabbi,  Con Cretaceous  B. 

Lunatia  horni,  Gabb ... Cretaceous  B. 

Olivella  mathewsoni,  Gabb Cretaceous  B. 

N^icula  solitaria,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Nassa  cretacea,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Turritella  uvasana,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Turritella  chicoensis,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Meretrix  horni,  Gabb Cretaceous  B. 

Galerus  excentricus,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Cardita  veneriformis,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Ostrea  idriaensis,  Gabb.. Cretaceous  B. 

Corbula  j^arilis,  var?,  Gabb ■ Cretaceous  B. 

Mysia  polita,  Gabb. Cretaceous  B. 

Modiola  cylindrica,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Cardita 2)lanicosta,  Lam... Cretaceous  B. 

Area  horni,  Gabb Cretaceous  B. 

Cardium  translucidum,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

DentaJium Cretaceous. 

Morio  tuberculatus,  Gabb Cretaceous  B. 

Architectonica  horni,  Gabb Cretaceous  B. 

Cucullea Cretaceous. 

Several  new  species  were  also  obtained  from  this  locality. 

The  only  natural  gas  observed  in  the  valley  lands  or  foothills  of 
Placer  County,  was  on  the  Blair  placer  mining  property,  where  boring 
showed  the  following  formation: 

Auriferous  cement  gravel 18  feet. 

Water. 

White  volcanic  ash  and  fragments  of  quartz  and  white  sand 20  feet. 

Coal - ...21  inches. 

White  volcanic  ashes.. 15  feet. 

Coal 6  inches. 

Alternate  strata  of  white  ashes  and  gravel  with  thin  layers  of  coal,  nine  alto- 
gether, to  a  depth  of 90  feet. 

One  hundred  yards  south  from  this  boring  a  similar  formation  was 
observed  to  a  depth  of  80  feet;  the  water  rose  to  within  6  feet  of  the  top 
of  the  casing,  and  gas  bubbled  through  it.  After  an  explosion  of  giant 
powder  in  the  well,  a  flame,  extending  about  18  inches  above  the  top  of 
the  casing,  burned  for  fifteen  minutes. 

About  twenty  years  ago  two  wells  were  bored  on  the  Haggin  ranch,  on 
the  Norris, grant,  about  9  miles  northeast  from  the  city  of  Sacramento. 
One  of  these  was  bored  to  a  depth  of  2,250  feet,  and  the  other  to  a  depth 
of  1 ,600  feet.  These  wells  yielded  salt  water  by  pumping,  and  a  small 
quantity  of  inflammable  gas  arose  from  the  deepest. 

In  1889-90  a  company  was  formed  at  Sacramento  under  the  name  of 
the  Natural  Gas  and  Water  Company,  to  sink  a  well  for  artesian  water 


—  11  — 


and  gas  in  the  southwestern  portion  of  the  city.  This  company  bored  a 
well  to  the  depth  of  876  feet.  The  formation  penetrated  is  alternate 
strata  of  clay,  gravel,  cement,  and  quicksand;  the  lower  portion  of  the 
formation  being  a  hard,  porous,  sandy  cement.  Flowing  water  was 
struck  in  coarse  sand  at  a  depth  of  281  feet,  and  a  slight  showing  of  gas 
was  observed  at  392  feet.  The  flow  of  water  and  gas  increased  with  the 
depth,  but  at  866  feet  operations  were  suspended,  owing  to  an  accident 
to  the  casing.  It  is  roughly  estimated  that  the  yield  of  gas  from  this 
well  exceeded  2,000  feet  in  twenty-four  hours. 

In  March,  1892,  a  new  well,  which  we  will  call  the  Sacramento  Gas 
Well  No.  2,  was  commenced  about  150  feet  eastward  from  the  old  gas 
well.  In  May,  1893,  Gas  Well  No.  2  had  been  bored  to  the  depth  of 
965  feet;  but  the  boring  was  suspended,  owing  to  difficulty  resulting 
from  a  sand-pump  becoming  fast  at  the  bottom  of  the  casing.  The 
well-borers  state  that  many  of  the  strata  penetrated  by  this  well  were 
very  hard  and  required  reaming;  also,  that  the  greatest  trouble  resulted 
from  the  sand  ''packing"  around  the  casing  when  it  was  standing  on  a 
hard  stratum  during  the  process  of  reaming. 

The  well  No.  2  is  cased  with  14-inch  casing  for  the  first  505  feet,  and 
with  12-inch  casing  from  that  depth  to  the  bottom,  965  feet.  It  is  stated 
that  the  casing  was  put  down  in  joints  4  feet  in  length,  and  that  each 
joint  ivas  coated  infernally  and  eMernally  with  asphaltiim. 

The  value  of  this  latter  precaution  is  very  great,  since  the  asphaltum 
protects  the  iron  from  any  acid  which  might  accompany  the  inflam- 
mable gas,  or  which  the  water  flowing  from  the  well  might  hold  in 
solution.  The  following  samples  of  strata  penetrated  are  preserved  in 
bottles  and  labeled  Avith  a  statement  as  to  the  depth  at  which  each 
sample  was  obtained  : 


Depth  of 
Well. 


Record  of  New  Well  No.  2,  as -Shown 
by  Contents  of  Bottles. 


66-88  ft.  Quartzose  pebbles,  with  water- 
worn  fragments  of  wood,  at  a 
depth  of  87  feet. 

90  feet.    Liglit-colored,  porous,  sandy  clay. 

98  feet.    Fine  grayish  sand. 

99  feet.    Grayish  sandy  clay. 

106  feet.    Grayish  sand  (rather  coarse). 
108  feet.    Fine    micaceous  cemented  gray 

sand. 
112  feet.    Coarse  sand,  with  fragments  of  j 

cemented  tine  sand.  I 

118  feet.    Light-colored  clay. 
120  feet. '  Micaceous  sand,  with  fragments  ! 

of  cemented  sand. 
128  feet.  '  Fine  micaceous  sand,  the  parti- 
cles  being  somewhat    agghiti- 

nated,  but  friable. 
153  feet.  I  Cemented  line  sand,  resembling 
I     soft,    friable,  micaceous    sand-  < 

stone.  '' 

170  feet.  I  Light  brown,  porous  sandy  clay, 
i  with  infiltrations  of  wbite 
I     clayey  matter.  (able.  ^ 

173  feet.  |  Soft  agglutinated  line  sand;  fri- 
178  feet.  |  Fine  sand  with  small  pebbles. 
185  feet.    Light-colored  clay. 
189  feet.    Fine  micaceous  sand.  i 

192  feet.    Light-colored,  sandy  clay.  | 

194  feet.    Very  fine    sand    cemented    with  j 

clayey  matter ;  indurated.  || 


Depth  of 
Well. 


212  feet. 

220  feet. 
232  feet. 

238  feet. 
240  feet. 
245  feet. 
248  feet. 

261  feet. 

265  feet. 

266  feet. 
274  feet. 
280  feet. 
287  feet. 
307  feet. 
310  feet. 
318  feet. 

328  feet. 

329  feet. 

330  feet. 
332  feet. 
334  feet. 
352  feet. 
356  feet. 
376  feet. 
394  feet. 

400  feet. 


Record  of  New  Well  No.  2,  as  ShoAvn 
by  Contents  of  Bottles. 


Fine    sand,    small    pebbles,    and 

lumps  of  cemented  sand. 
Fine,  sandy,  light-colored  clay. 
Micaceoussand  and  fragments  of 

light-colored  cemented  sand. 
Soft,  cemented,  fine  sand. 
Sand,  with  fragments  of  wood. 
Light-colored,  sandy  clay. 
Light-colored,    cemented       sand, 

with  white  clayey  infiltrations. 
Grayish  sand. 
Light-colored  clay. 
Coarse  sand.  [sand. 

Porous,    cemented,    light-colored 
Friable  cemented  sand. 
Fine  sand. 
Whitisli  claj'. 

Light-colored  clay,    [mented  sand. 
Fine   sand  and  "fragments  of  ce- 
Light-colored,  sandy  clay. 
Light-colored,  sandy  clay. 
Agglutinated  sand,  friab^le. 
Whitish  clay.  [ing  water). 

Fine  micaceous  sand ;  (first  flow- 
Porous,  clayey  sand. 
Fine  sand. 
Light-colored  clay. 
Coarse  sand  ami    small    pebbles, 

with  Mowing  water. 
Porous,  light-colored,  sandy  clay. 


12  — 


Depth  of 
Well. 


Record  of  New  Well  No.  2,  as  Shown 
by  Contents  of  Bottles. 


Record  of  New  Well  No.  2,  as  S  hown 
by  Contents  of  Bottles. 


413  feet. 
415  feet. 
425  feet. 

430  feet. 

431  feet. 
434  feet. 
437  feet. 
450  feet. 
465  feet. 
470  feet. 

485  feet. 

487  feet. 

509  feet. 

521  feet. 

528  feet. 

53S  feet. 

545  feet. 

569  feet. 

570  feet. 
575  feet. 
578  feet. 
595  feet. 
597  feet. 
600  feet. 
608  feet. 
612  feet. 
616  feet. 

622  feet. 

623  feet. 
625  feet. 


Hard,  light-colored  clay. 
Cemented,  fine  sand. 
Whitish  clay. 

Micaceous  sand, with  white  quartz 
and  quartzose  pebbles  at  427  ft. 
Whitish,  sandy  clay. 
Porous,  sandy  clay. 
Agglutinated  fine  sand,  friable. 
Porous,  clayey  sand. 
Porous  cemented  sand,  very  hard. 
Very  fine,  cemented,   micaceous 

sand. 
Micaceous  sandstone. 
Whitish  clay. 
Micaceous,  cemented  sand. 
Loose  sand  ;  strong  flow  of  water. 
Sandy  clay,  hard  as  sandstone. 
Cemented,  micaceous  sand. 
Light-colored  clay. 
Coarse  sand. 
(Quartzose  pebbles. 
Light-colored  clay. 
Gray,  porous  sand  rock. 
Light-colored  clay. 
Agglutinated,  fine  sand. 
Clayey  sand. 
Micaceous  sand. 
Soft,  clayey,  fine  sand. 
Fine  micaceous  sand. 
Light-colored  clay. 
Fine  micaceous  sand. 
Fine  cemented  sand. 


632  feet. 
640  feet. 
642  feet. 

650  feet. 

651  feet. 

668  feet. 
674  feet. 
683  feet. 
688  feet. 
690  feet. 

692  feet. 

693  feet. 
695  feet. 
700  feet. 
7 15  feet. 
718  feet. 


720  feet. 
723  feet. 
727  feet. 
732  feet. 
736  feet. 

738  feet. 

739  feet. 
801  feet. 

803  feet. 

804  feet. 
812  feet. 
814  feet. 
820  feet. 


Porous  cemented  sand. 

Gray  cemented  sand. 

Fine  micaceous  sand. 

Cemented  sand. 

Light    brown    clay,    with    white 

clayey  infiltrations. 
Porous  clayey  sand. 
Loose  sand. 
Light-colored  clay. 
Loose  sand. 
Brown  clay. 
Porous  sandy  clay. 
Loose  sand. 
Brownish  clay. 
Porous  sandy  clay. 
Brownish  clay. 
Loose  sand ;  at  this  depth  there 

was  an  increased  flow  of  water, 

accompanied  by  gas. 
Sand,  cemented  with  clay. 
Agglutinated,  sharp  sand. 
Loose  sand. 
Light-colored  clay. 
Cemented  sand,  friable. 
Light-colored  indurated  clay. 
Cemented  sand. 
Brownish,  sandy  clay. 
Loose  sand.  [infiltrations. 

Brownish  clay,  with  white  clayey 
Light-colored  indurated  clay. 
Cemented  grayish  sand. 
Loose  sand. 


Between  this  depth  and  that  of  872  feet  the  well-borers  state  that 
strata  of  hard  sandstone  were  passed  through;  that  at  the  depth  of 
from  840  to  845  feet  a  stratum  of  very  porous  sandstone  yielded  more 
water  and  gas;  and  that  blue  clay  was  penetrated  between  the  depth  of 
860  and  865  feet.  The  sample  which  was  marked  as  representing  the 
formation  at  a  depth  of  900  feet,  contained  a  light-colored  and  some- 
what calcareous  clay. 

In  reviewing  the  record  of  the  strata  penetrated  by  this  well  and  the 
samples  from  it,  which  have  been  preserved,  the  fact  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  when  material  is  first  taken  from  the  well  during  the  process 
of  boring,  it  frequently  looks  very  different  from  what  it  does  when 
dried  and  kept  for  some  time.  Nearly  all  the  light-colored  clays  look 
blue  when  first  brought  up  from  the  well,  and  the  micaceous  sands  look 
black,  frequently  becoming  bluish  when  dry.  All  the  loose  micaceous 
sand  is  quicksand,  and  well-borers  state  that  it  "runs  badly";  i.  e.,  it 
runs  into  the  boring  and  casing,  and  is  apt  to  cover  the  tools. 

The  term  aggliitinated  sand  is  used  for  that  whose  grains  adhere 
to  one  another  without  any  visible  cementing  material;  and  the  term 
cemented  sand,  when  the  cementing  material  can  be  seen. 

Many  of  the  samples,  when  dried,  resemble  soft,  clayey  sandstones. 
The  physical  appearance  of  some  of  them  resembles  a  very  recent 
formation  overlying  the  lone  coal  measures  cropping  out  a  few  miles 
eastward  from   Clements,   in   San  Joaquin   County. 

In  a  general  way,  it  is  obvious  that  many  of  the  strata  penetrated  by 


—  la- 
the gas  wells  at  Sacramento  are  harder  than  those  encountered  at  similar 
depths  at  Stockton. 

The  old  gas  well  at  Sacramento  is  about  150  feet  from  the  Gas  Well 
No.  2,  and  it  flows  about  18  miner's  inches  of  water.  On  May  16,  1893, 
the  temperature  of  this  water  was  69.5"  Fahr.  Gas  Well  No.  2  also 
yields  a  copious  stream  of  water.  A  determination  of  the  temperature 
of  the  water  in  this  well,  which  was  made  at  the  same  time  as  that  of 
the  old  well,  was  66.74°  Fahr. 

The  temperature  of  the  water  in  these  wells  is  said  to  have  been  higher 
when  it  was  previously  estimated.  It  is  quite  probable  that  water  from 
the  melting  snows  of  the  Sierra  may  cool  these  subterranean  waters 
during  the  early  summer,  as  it  does  the  water  in  the  river  and  streams 
on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Central  Valley  of  California. 

An  estimation  of  the  fuel  value  of  the  gas  from  the  old  gas  well  at 
Sacramento  will  be  found  at  the  conclusion  of  this  bulletin.  As  the  gas 
from  Well  No.  2  was  not  collected  under  a  receiver,  its  fuel  value  was 
not  estimated.  The  gas  from  both  wells,  when  passed  through  lime 
water  for  a  few  minutes,  showed  the  presence  of  a  small  amount  of  car- 
bonic di-oxide. 

GENERAL    REMARKS    ON    NATURAL     GAS     IN    THE     SACRAMENTO     VALLEY    AND 
NEIGHBORING   FOOTHILLS. 

The  instances  have  now  been  traced  in  which  inflammable  gas  has 
hitherto  been  observed  in  the  Sacramento  Valley.  The  larger  number 
of  places  where  the  gas  was  examined,  were  springs  or  shallow  wells  in 
the  Cretaceous  formations  on  both  sides  of  the  valley,  and  were  little 
more  than  "  gas  prospects."  The  only  deep  wells  penetrating  the  filling 
of  the  valley  were  found  at  the  Haggin  ranch,  at  Sacramento,  and  near 
Norman,  in  Glenn  County.  At  the  Haggin  ranch,  9  miles  north  of 
Sacramento,  natural  gas  and  salt  water  were  obtained;  and  it  is  noted 
that  the  salt  water  and  gas  were  found  together  in  Cretaceous  forma- 
tions in  other  places  on  the  sides  of  the  valley.  At  Sacramento,  natural 
gas  was  observed  at  a  depth  of  392  feet;  at  the  Rideout  ranch,  in  Glenn 
County,  the  filling  of  the  valley  was  penetrated  940  feet,  and  only  a 
small  amount  of  gas  was  observed,  but  this  has  now  ceased.  The  well 
at  the  Blair  placer  mining  property  penetrates  a  late  Tertiary  formation. 

These  investigations  warrant  the  conclusion  that  the  natural  gas  in 
the  Sacramento  Valley  is  principally  of  Cretaceous  origin,  although  any 
organic  remains  that  have  been  subjected  to  the  necessary  chemical 
change  beneath  the  clayey  strata  of  the  valley  have  contributed  to  the 
gas  stored  in  adjacent  porous  formations.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the 
greater  portion  of  the  gas  found  in  the  alluvial  formations  in  the  Sacra- 
mento Valley  has  escaped  from  fissures  in  the  older  rocks;  and  that 
these  fissures  have  been  formed,  not  only  by  the  ancient  disturbances 
which  culminated  in  the  formation  of  the  Marysville  Buttes,  but  by 
earthquakes  of  the  present  era. 

Comparing  the  traces  of  gas  in  the  wells  at  the  Rideout  ranch,  in 
Glenn  County,  with  the  amount  of  gas  yielded  by  the  wells  bored  at 
Sacramento,  it  might  be  argued  that  the  Quaternary  strata  contain 
more  gas  in  the  lower  than  in  the  upper  portions  of  the  valley,  but  the 
results  obtained  by  wells  so  far  apart  are  insufficient  for  generalization. 
Moreover,  the  water  resting  on  the  gas-yielding  formations  at  the  Ride- 


—  •14  — 

out  well,  in  Glenn  County,  is  probably  much  deeper  than  in  the  well  at 
Sacramento. 

From  the  foregoing  it  appears  that  the  natural  gas  in  the  Sacramento 
Valley  occurs  under  two  conditions:  First,  when  it  issues  from  upturned 
edges  of  Cretaceous  rocks  on  the  sides  of  the  valley,  and  from  shallow 
wells  penetrating  that  formation;  secondly,  when  it  escapes  from  wells 
penetrating  the  porous  and  more  recent  formations  which  fill  the  trough 
of  the  valley. 

These  researches  in  the  Sacramento  Valley  and  neighboring  foothills 
lead  to  the  conclusion  that  the  gas-bearing  formations  are  distributed 
through  the  rocks  of  the  Cretaceous  system.  At  Sulphur  Creek  gas  and 
petroleum  are  found  associated  with  rocks  of  the  Knoxville  series.  At 
Sites  and  Tuscan  Springs  gas  and  salt  water  are  found  in  rocks  of  the 
Chico  group,  and  the  fossils  collected  around  Marysville  Buttes,  where 
gas  is  found,  are  referred  by  Dr.  Cooper  to  the  Chico  Tejon  or  probably 
Eocene  period. 

There  are  five  things  which  are  all-important  to  consider  in  geological 
investigations  with  reference  to  natural  gas:  First,  the  lateral  extent  of 
the  gas-bearing  formations;  second,  the  thickness  of  these  formations; 
third,  the  porosity  of  the  rocks,  with  a  view  of  approximating  their  gas- 
holding  capacity;  fourth,  the  pressure  under  which  the  gas  exists;  and 
fifth,  the  character  of  the  strata  overlying  the  gas-holding  rock;  for 
unless  the  strata  overlying  the  gas-holding  rocks  are  of  such  a  nature  as 
to  restrain  the  gas  beneath  them,  a  profitable  gas  field  can  never  exist. 

Investigation  warrants  the  belief  that  the  Cretaceous  formations 
extend  all  through  the  Sacramento  Valley,  coming  to  the  surface  in  the 
foothills  and  underlying  the  filling  in  the  central  portion  of  the  valley. 
It  is  not  known  that  the  thickness  of  the  Cretaceous  formation  in  the 
Sacramento  Valley  has  ever  been  estimated,  but  there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  the  Cretaceous  rocks  are  thicker  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Coast 
Range  than  on  the  western  slope  of  the  Sierra.  There  is  also  every 
reason  to  believe  that  many  of  the  Cretaceous  strata  are  sufficiently 
porous  to  afford  good  storage  room  for  gas. 

The  question  of  the  pressure  under  which  the  gas  exists  is  an  impor- 
tant one,  but  unfortunately  it  is  a  subject  on  which  we  have  the  least 
evidence;  in  the  first  place,  because  there  are  so  few  gas  wells  in  the 
Sacramento  Valley;  in  the  second  place,  because  the  few  that  exist  are 
full  of  water. 

Of  course,  any  gas  that  finds  its  way  into  the  casing  of  a  well,  in 
excess  of  that  which  can  be  held  in  solution  by  the  water,  will  come  to 
the  surface  by  its  specific  gravity;  and  in  a  flowing  well  films  of  gas  are 
no  doubt  dragged  by  the  water  from  the  porous  strata  in  which  the  gas 
is  held. 

If  a  well  is  only  330  feet  deep,  the  pressure  of  the  gas  in  the  strata  at 
the  bottom  of  the  well  would  have  to  exceed  that  of  eleven  atmospheres; 
that  is,  it  must  be  more  than  1 65  pounds  to  the  square  inch  before  the 
gas  could  escape.  We  have  already  seen  that  when  dry  gas  was  struck 
in  the  sandstone  at  Marysville  Buttes,  its  pressure  is  said  to  have  been 
sufficient  to  blow  the  borings  out  of  the  drill-hole;  and  it  is  possible  that 
if  the  water  could  be  excluded  from  wells  in  other  portions  of  the  valley, 
equally  strong  flows  of  gas  might  be  obtained. 

With  regard  to  the  character  of  the  strata  overlying  the  gas-holding 
rocks,  we  have  abundant  evidence.     Throughout  both  the  Sacramento 


—  15  — 

and  the  San  Joaquin  Valleys  borings  made  to  obtain  water  penetrate 
sheets  of  clay,  which  appear  to  extend  throughout  the  valley  lands,  and 
to  overlie  the  gas-holding  formations. 

It  would  be  a  very  interesting  experiment  to  make  a  deep  boring  in  a 
well-chosen  spot  in  the  Sacramento  Valley,  and  to  shut  off  the  water  by 
screw  casings  from  the  upper  portion  of  the  well,  or  if  that  could  not  be 
done,  to  exhaust  the  water  by  pumping.  We  should  then  know  some- 
thing definite  about  the  pressure  of  the  gas;  and  appearances  certainly 
indicate  that  in  some  places  sufficient  gas  might  be  obtained  to  be  of 
practical  value  if  it  could  be  used  on  the  spot. 

In  the  more  recent  formations,  in  the  central  portions  of  the  valley, 
where  flowing  water  might  be  encountered,  the  task  of  shutting  off  the 
water  would  be  difficult,  and  experiment  alone  could  determine  whether 
it  is  possible  to  exclude  the  water  without  shutting  off  the  gas.  Such  is 
the  record,  up  to  date,  of  natural  gas  and  petroleum  in  the  Sacramento 
Valley. 

NATURAL    GAS   IN   THE    SAN    JOAQUIN    VALLEY. 

The  Stockton  Gas  Wells. — In  Stockton  and  vicinity  there  are  more 
than  twenty  wells  which  yield  natural  gas  in  sufficient  quantities  to  be 
of  practical  value.  Indeed,  for  the  last  five  years  it  has  been  an  estab- 
lished fact  that  at  Stockton,  by  boring  to  the  depth  of  something  less 
than  2,500  feet,  sufficient  gas  can  be  obtained  to  light  and  materially 
reduce  the  fuel  bill  of  a  large  factory,  or  to  supply  a  group  of  families 
with  light  and  fuel.  The  following  record  of  strata  penetrated  by  one 
well  bored  at  the  Stockton  court-house,  and  by  another  which  was  sunk 
at  the  Jackson  baths,  give^  an  idea  of  the  formation  underh'ing  the  city 
of  Stockton;  and  to  a  certain  extent  shows  the  nature  of  the  strata 
holding  the  gas,  and  of  the  sheets  of  clay  beneath  which  the  gas  is 
stored. 

The  Court-house  Well. — This  well,  commenced  in  February,  1890,  as 
mentioned  in  our  Xth  Report,  was  completed  in  December  of  the  same 
year.  In  boring  this  well,  after  penetrating  soil,  hardpan,  and  clay  to 
a  depth  of  60  feet,  a  stratum  of  blue  clay  was  met,  and  from  that  on 
blue  clay  alternated  with  thin  strata  of  sand  until  a  depth  of  220  feet 
was  reached.  At  this  depth  a  stratum  of  gravel  more  than  30  feet  in 
thickness  was  encountered,  the  pebbles  composing  which  varied  from 
the  size  of  marbles  to  that  of  a  man's  fist.  Beneath  this  gravel,  strata 
of  clay,  cement,  and  sand  alternated  to  a  depth  of  900  feet,  and  then  30 
feet  of  coarse  sand  was  passed  through.  This  sand  yielded  a  large  flow 
of  good  water.     Beneath  this  sand  the  following  strata  were  observed: 

Character  of  Strata.  Depth  at  which  the  Strata  were  Observed  to  Change. 

Coarse  sand to    930  feet. 

Dark-colored  clay .to    970  feet. 

White  marl,  principally  lime to    990  feet. 

Fine  grayish  quicksanH ..'..to  1,040  feet. 

Coarse  sand to  1,070  feet. 

Bituminous  shale  or  clay  (gas) to  1,100  feet. 

Soft,  grayish  sandstone ...  ...to  1,125  feet. 

Grayish  claj-,  full  of  holes,  some  of  which  were  filled  with  white  clavev 

matter "..".to  1,160  feet. 

Coarse  sand to  1,200  feet. 

•  iray,  ferriiginous,  sandy  clay to  1,230  feet. 

(Quicksand to  l,2.s0  feet. 

Very  soft,  friable  sandstone,  with  gas.. to  1,300  feet. 

(Jrayish,  sandy  clav,  with  infiltrations  of  white  clayey  matter,  very  hard to  1,.S25  feet. 

Light-colored,  sandy  cement to  1,350  feet. 


—  16  — 

Character  of  Strata.  Depth  at  which  the  Strata  were  Observed  to  Change. 

Sand - -- -.to  1,370  feet. 

Clay,  with  little  quartz  pebbles to  1,410  feet. 

Sandy  cement,  with  gas to  1,450  feet. 

Cement,  more  clayey to  1,490  feet. 

Coarse  sand -- -.  to  1,530  feet. 

Soft,  clayey  sandstone ...to  1,560  feet. 

Clayey  sandstone,  harder  (gas) to  1,600  feet. 

Light-colored,  friable  sandstone to  1,630  feet. 

Light-colored,  friable  sandstone,  but  more  clayey  (gas)... to  1,660  feet. 

Cement  gravel  (gas) to  1,700  feet. 

Indurated  clay  (gas) to  1,800  feet. 

Clean,  soft,  friable  sandstone  (gas) to  1,870  feet. 

Sample  omitted  from  those  sent  to  the  Bureau to  1,890  feet. 

Coarse  sand  (gas) to  1,917  feet. 

The  principal  gas-yielding  strata  were  encountered,  and  the  casing 
perforated,  at  the  following  depths:  1,100  feet,  1,300  feet,  1,450  feet,  1,600 
feet,  1,660  feet,  1,700  feet,  1,740  feet,  1,800  feet,  1,900  feet.  This  well  is 
12  inches  in  diameter  at  the  top;  at  a  depth  of  670  feet  it  is  reduced  to 
10  inches,  and  at  1,100  feet  to  8  inches.  The  flow  at  the  completion  of 
the  well  is  said  to  have  been  about  30,000  cubic  feet  of  gas  every  twenty- 
four  hours,  and  a  large  stream  of  water.  The  record  of  this  well  is 
especially  interesting,  from  the  fact  that  the  method  of  boring  allowed 
samples  of  the  various  strata  to  be  brought  up  in  masses,  which  gave  a 
much  better  idea  of  the  character  of  the  formations  penetrated  than 
methods  which  pulverize  the  material  before  it  is  brought  to  the  surface. 
Moreover,  samples  were  preserved  and  forwarded  to  the  Mining  Bureau 
for  examination.  The  most  interesting  stratum  was  the  bituminous 
shale  or  clay  which  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  1,070  feet,  and  the  cal- 
careous stratum  which  was  penetrated  between  the  depths  of  970  and 
990  feet.  The  bituminous  sample  presented  no  organic  structure  under 
the  microscope,  but  some  air-dried  fragments  examined  showed  the 
following  composition: 

Water - --- .-    0.40  per  cent. 

Volatile  hydrocarbons -.-  55.03  per  cent. 

Fixed  carbon.. 16.10  percent. 

Ash 28.46  per  cent. 

99.99  per  cent. 

A  very  small  portion  of  the  mass  was  soluble  in  carbon  di-sulphide. 

Of  course  it  is  only  natural  that  dried  samples  when  examined  in  the 
laboratory  should  seem  much  firmer  than  when  first  brought  up  wet 
from  the  well.  Some  of  the  strata  penetrated  by  the  Stockton  gas  wells, 
besides  the  actual  sands  and  clays,  are  of  a  fine,  loamy  nature,  varying 
from  sandy  to  clayey;  and  resemble  the  Loess  of  the  Mississippi  Valley, 
except  that  the  said  Loess  is  usually  buff"-colored  or  of  a  reddish  cast, 
while  the  material  brought  up  from  the  wells  at  Stockton  is  usually  of 
a  bluish  color.  No  doubt  the  reason  of  this  is  that  the  iron  contained 
in  the  material  from  the  gas  wells  at  Stockton  is  in  the  ferrous  condition, 
while  that  of  the  Loess  in  the  Mississippi  Valley  is  principally  in  the 
ferric,  i.  e.,  the  more  highly  oxygenized  compound. 

The  peculiar  bluish  sand  which  is  frequently  brought  up  during  the 
process  of  boring  deep  wells  in  the  Central  Valley  of  California  is  similar 
in  appearance  to  the  bluish  sand  composing  some  of  the  lower  foothills 
of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  as  hereinafter  described.  Other  samples 
brought  up  by  the  sand-pump  from  the  gas  wells  mentioned  resemble 
the  friable  sandy  formations  of  the  Kern  River,  which  perhaps  we  may 


—  17  — 

tentatively  refer  to  the  Pliocene  group.  But  it  is  not  well  to  place  too 
much  reliance  on  the  comparative  lithological  structure  of  sedimentary 
rocks;  for  the  physical  appearance  of  the  newer  derivative  formations 
frequently  resembles  that  of  the  older  sedimentary  rocks  from  which 
they  are  formed. 

Jackson  Well  No.  1. — This  well,  as  mentioned  in  our  IXth  Report, 
was  commenced  in  1890.  The  casing  has  a  diameter  of  12  inches  at  the 
top,  and  9^'  at  the  bottom;  the  depth  of  the  well  is  1,700  feet.  The 
principal  flows  of  gas  and  water  were  struck  at  the  following  depths: 
746  feet  (a  small  flow),  896  feet,  1,180  feet,  1,270  feet,  1,312  feet,  1,350 
feet,  1,460  feet,  1,508  feet,  1,654  feet,  1,700  feet.  The  total  yield  of  gas 
from  this  well  is  estimated  at  about  /©,0OO  cubic  feet  in  twenty-four 
hours.  The  water  is  used  in  a  swimming-bath  which  has  been  built  by 
Mr.  Jackson  at  his  wells. 

Record  of  Strata  Penetrated  below  a  Depth  of  S80  Feet. 

Coarse  sand,  with  good  flow  of  water  and  gas - 880  feet. 

Cement,  porous  in  places,  increased  flow  of  water  and  gas --  896  feet. 

Cement  gravel - ---  914  feet. 

Coarse  sand --.  934  feet. 

Hard  blue  cement 964  feet. 

Quicksand -... - 980  feet. 

Blue  clay  cement 1,000  feet. 

Porous,  sandy  cement,  with  gas 1,030  feet. 

Tough  clay - 1,138  feet. 

Blue,  shaly  "joint-clay  " -.- 1,170  feet. 

Sand,  with  flow  of  water  and  gas .- - - --.  1,180  feet. 

Cemented  sand 1,2.30  feet. 

Hard  clayey  cement - — - 1,260  feet. 

Porous  sand,  with  flow  of  water  and  gas -. 1,270  feet. 

Conglomerate 1,315  feet. 

Unctuous  clayey  cement 1,334  feet. 

Hard  cement  ..' ..- ^ 1,340  feet. 

Sand,  with  a  large  flow  of  water  and  gas 1,350  feet. 

Cement -- - - --..  1,360  feet. 

Hard,  blue,  slatv  cement .- 1,426  feet. 

Sand  and  gravel 1.430  feet. 

Hard  cement - 1,445  feet. 

Porous  rock,  with  large  flow  of  gas  .- 1,460  feet. 

Hard  cement 1,500  feet. 

Sand -.- ----  1,508  feet. 

Hard  cement 1,530  feet. 

Sand - - 1,535  feet. 

Hard  cement  .- -- 1,578  feet. 

Sandy  clay -..  1,580  feet. 

Porous,  clayey  sand  and  rock. --. - 1,600  feet. 

Cement - 1,630  feet. 

Porous,  sandy  rock,  yielding  much  gas .-  1,640  feet. 

Loose  sand -- -- 1,644  feet. 

Cement 1,650  feet. 

Sand,  with  large  flow  of  gas  and  water 1,655  feet. 

From  this  well,  the  incisor  tooth  of  a  horse,  a  much-worn  carnivorous 
molar,  and  two  fragments  of  jawbone,  were  brought  up  by  the  sand- 
pump  from  a  depth  of  1,058  feet. 

Jackson  Well  No.  2. — This  well,  which  was  commenced  in  July,  1891, 
is  situated  about  110  feet  south  of  the  Jackson  Well  No.  1.  The  forma- 
tion is  similar  to  that  of  the  first  well.  Gas  was  struck  at  a  depth  of 
800  feet,  and  could  be  ignited  in  the  casing.  The  water  at  that  depth 
stood  4  feet  from  the  top  of  the  casing.  As  the  well  was  bored  deeper, 
it  yielded  an  increased  volume  of  gas,  issuing  from  hard,  porous  strata; 
flowing  water  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  1,350  feet.  This  well  is  said  to 
be  1,400  feet  in  depth. 

2  m 


—  18  — 

The  Asyhim  Wells.— In  March,  1892,  the  depth  of  Asylum  Well 
No.  1,  at  the  State  Insane  Asylum,  was  increased  till  it  reached  1,750 
feet.  This  resulted  in  a  large  increase  in  the  flow  of  gas  and  water. 
In  addition  to  the  use  of  the  gas  in  the  laundry,  the  female  depart- 
ment of  the  asylum  is  now  entirely  illuminated  by  it.  The  gas  is  also 
used  as  fuel  for  a  ten  horse-power  engine,  which  pumps  the  sewage  of 
the  establishment,  and  the  three  horse-power  engine,  which  pumps  water 
for  irrigation. 

A  new  well  was  commenced  at  the  asylum  in  1892,  the  contract  for 
boring  being  let  to  Haas  &  Jensen,  of  Stockton.  In  May,  1892,  600  feet 
had  been  successfully  bored,  and  cased  with  15-inch  No.  12  iron,  riveted 
pipe.  A  careful  selection  of  specimens  of  the  various  strata  passed 
through  was  being  made  under  the  supervision  of  Major  Orr. 

The  St.  Agnes  Well  No.  i?.— This  well  was  bored  during  1891-2  at  the 
St.  Agnes  College,  and  is  about  75  feet  south  of  Well  No.  1,  which  was 
bored  in  1889.  This  second  well  was  bored  to  a  depth  of  1,720  feet,  and 
the  strata  penetrated  resemble  those  noted  in  the  first  well,  a  record  of 
which  is  given  in  our  Xth  Report.  The  yield  of  the  new  well  is  more 
than  25,000  cubic  feet  of  gas  in  twenty-four  hours,  and  there  is  also  a 
large  flow  of  water.  The  well  is  cased  with  10-inch  double  casing.  No. 
14  iron,  to  a  depth  of  900  feet;  at  this  depth  it  is  reduced  to  8-inch,  and 
this  carried  down  to  1,240  feet,  below  which  it  is  reduced  to  6-inch.  The 
6-inch  casing  was  cut  at  a  depth  of  1,100  feet,  and  pressed  down  to  that 
depth.  In  the  autumn  of  1891  the  St.  Agnes  Well  No.  1  ceased  to  flow, 
and  simultaneously  the  gas  ceased  to  rise.  A  trench  cutting  the  pipe  of 
the  well  about  4  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  ground  was  then  dug  from 
the  well  to  the  bank  of  Mormon  Slough.  By  this  means  flowing  water 
was  again  obtained,  and  the  well  yielded  gas  as  before. 

The  Stockton  Natural  Gas  Com'pany. — The  officers  of  this  company 
state  that  their  new  well  has  been  completed,  and  the  gas  from  it  turned 
into  the  main.  This  company  has  built  a  new  gasometer,  which  holds 
about  22,000  cubic  feet  of  gas,  thus  doubling  the  gas-storing  capacity  of 
the  plant  belonging  to  the  Stockton  Natural  Gas  Company.  The  officers 
of  the  company  report  that  the  yield  from  their  first  well,  i.  e.,  the  Haas 
Well  No.  1,  is  now  about  80,000  cubic  feet  every  twenty-four  hours;  and 
from  their  second  well,  which  is  said  to  be  about  2,000  feet  deep,  about 
43,000  cubic  feet. 

During  the  past  year  a  great  improvement  has  been  made  by  the  use 
of  the  "  Welsh  back  burner  "  for  household  illumination  by  natural  gas. 
With  this  burner  the  Stockton  natural  gas  can  be  used  directly  from  the 
meter  without  carburetting. 

Mr.  Haas,  who  bored  the  wells  of  the  Stockton  Natural  Gas  Company, 
stated  that,  while  boring  the  second  well,  the  gas  expelled  the  water 
from  the  iron  pipe  forming  the  "boring-rod";  the  gas  was  under  such 
pressure  that  it  burst  the  fire-hose  attached  to  the  escape  pipe,  which 
happened  to  be  closed.  Upon  the  bursting  of  the  hose,  the  water  again 
rose  in  the  "boring-rod"  and  flowed  therefrom.  To  obviate  a  recurrence 
of  such  an  accident,  Mr.  Haas  attached  a  vent-cock  to  the  '"  boring-rod." 

The  Stockton  Gas  Light  and  Heat  Company. — In  the  spring  of  1894 
work  was  still  in  progress  at  the  well  belonging  to  this  company,  and 
the  well  was  said  to  be  1,400  feet  deep.  Tools  had  been  lost  in  the  well, 
but  it  is  stated  that  they  have  been  recovered. 


—  19  — 

The  Citizens'  Well. — This  well,  which  was  bored  for  the  Citizens' 
Natural  Gas  Company  in  1890,  is  said  to  yield  42,000  cubic  feet  of  gas 
in  twenty-four  hours,  and  also  a  large  flow  of  water.  The  well  is  2,061 
feet  deep. 

The  Grant  Street  Well. — A  well  was  commenced  in  February,  1892,  by 
.Terome  Haas  at  the  corner  of  Fremont  and  Grant  Streets,  Stockton. 
When  visited  in  May,  1892,  this  well  had  been  bored  to  a  depth  of  about 
900  feet,  and  a  small  amount  of  gas  was  perceptible.  Mr.  Haas  said 
that  on  April  28,  1892,  when  the  casing  was  being  forced  down  under  a 
pressure  of  100  pounds  to  the  square  inch,  a  slight  earthquake  occurred, 
and  immediately  thereafter  it  required  a  pressure  of  800  pounds  to  the 
square  inch  to  move  the  casing.  The  resistance  gradually  diminished 
until  the  former  pressure  of  100  pounds  was  suflEicient  to  force  the  casing 
down. 

The  Central  Well. — A  well  was  commenced  in  1891,  on  American 
Street  and  Miner  Avenue,  in  Stockton,  by  a  company  organized  under 
the  name  of  the  Central  Natural  Gas  Company. 

Other  Gas  Wells  at  and  near  StocMon. — A  description  of  other  gas- 
yielding  wells,  which  have  been  sunk  in  Stockton  and  its  immediate 
vicinity,  can  be  found  by  referring  to  our  Vllth,  Vlllth,  IXth,  and  Xth 
Reports. 

Gas  Well  on  Roberts  Island. — The  farthest  west  that  natural  gas  has 
been  obtained  in  San  Joaquin  County  is  on  Roberts  Island.  On  this 
island,  at  a  point  about  14  miles  west  of  Stockton,  a  Avell,  which  yielded 
flowing  water  and  gas,  was  sunk  in  1883  by  General  Williams.  This 
well  is  said  to  be  1,435  feet  deep,  and  to  be  cased  in  the  upper  portion 
with  7-inch,  and  in  the  lower  portion  with  5-inch  casing.  The  gas 
yielded  by  this  well  is  said  to  have  been  sufficient  to  supply  the  ranch 
house  with  light  and  fuel.  The  water  is  saline,  and  it  is  said  that  the 
well  was  closed  to  prevent  the  water  running  on  the  land. 

Natural  Gas  at  Byron  Sj^rings. — Inflammable  gas  is  found  at  Byron 
Springs,  in  the  foothills  of  Contra  Costa  County.  At  this  place  the  gas 
rises  with  thermal  mineral  water  from  springs  and  shallow  borings.  For 
a  further  description  of  these  springs,  see  our  Vlllth  Report,  p.  163. 

At  the  Cutler  Salmon  Ranch,  on  the  French  Camp  road,  a  well  was 
bored  in  1883  to  the  depth  of  1,250  feet.  At  first  a  7-inch  pipe  was 
put  down  to  the  depth  of  1,250  feet,  and  inside  of  that  a  4-inch  pipe 
to  the  depth  of  1,140  feet.  The  large  pipe,  which  has  no  connection 
with  the  smaller  one,  yields  a  stream  of  fresh  water  and  a  small  amount 
of  inflammable  gas.  The  4-inch  pipe  yields  brackish  water  and  a  larger 
amount  of  gas.     The  gas  is  used  on  the  ranch  for  light  and  fuel. 

In  1884  a  well  was  bored  to  the  depth  of  1,404  feet  at  the  Pope  Salmon 
Ranch,  about  9  miles  southeast  from  Stockton.  The  well  is  cased  with 
7-inch  pipe  for  the  first  700  feet,  and  with  5-inch  pipe  from  that  depth 
to  the  bottom.  The  well  yields  sufficient  gas  for  domestic  purposes;  the 
water  is  plentiful. 

At  Lathrop  Junction  an  8-inch  well  was  bored  in  1888  to  a  depth  of 
1,420  feet;  this  well  yields  flowing  water  and  about  2,500  cubic  feet  of 
natural  gas  every  twenty-four  hours. 

At  the  County  Hospital,  one  mile  east  of  Modesto,  on  the  eastern  side 
of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  in  Stanislaus  County,  a  small  quantity  of 
gas  rises  from  a  well  1,070  feet  deep.  This  well  does  not  yield  flowing 
water. 


—  20  — 

In  Merced  County  inflammable  gas  has  been  struck,  together  with  flow- 
ing water;  and  this  is  the  case  in  more  than  one  well  a  few  miles  southwest 
of  Merced  City,  at  a  depth  of  about  600  feet.  The  formation  penetrated  is 
alternate  strata  of  sand  and  clay.  Thus,  on  the  Oulds  ranch,  which  is 
6  miles  south  of  the  county  seat,  the  gas  from  a  well  600  feet  deep  is 
collected  in  a  receiver  9  feet  in  height  and  6  feet  in  diameter.  This 
receiver  is  filled  in  less  than  twenty-four  hours,  although  much  gas  goes 
to  waste.  The  gas  is  used  on  this  ranch  for  heating  and  lighting  pur- 
poses, and  gives  great  satisfaction.  It  is  interesting  to  note,  in  this  con- 
nection, that  there  are  wells  between  the  county  seat  of  Merced  County 
and  the  San  Joaquin  River,  of  greater  depth  than  the  one  on  the  Oulds 
ranch,  which  yield  flowing  water  but  no  gas. 

At  a  point  about  7  miles  southeast  of  White''s  Bridge,  in  Fresno 
County,  a  well  was  bored  in  1892  which  yielded  inflammalDle  gas  and 
flowing  mineral  water.  The  formation  penetrated  is  sand  and  clay; 
flowing  water  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  480  feet.  Below  a  depth  of  800 
feet  the  sand  became  hard,  "like  sandstone";  at  a  depth  of  1,050  feet  it 
became  black,  with  some  gas  rising  through  the  water;  at  1,100  feet 
there  was  enough  gas  to  furnish  fuel  for  the  engines  running  the  drill. 
Mineral  water  flowed  from  this  well. 

Near  Tidare  Lake,  in  Tulare  County,  several  wells  yield  natural  gas 
and  flowing  water.  Thus,  at  the  Sevilla  Colony,  16  miles  southwest  of 
Pixley,  there  is  a  well  600  feet  deep  which  yields  sulphuretted  water  and 
a  large  quantity  of  gas.  It  is  said  that  the  yield  of  gas  from  this  well 
amounts  to  several  thousand  feet  a  day;  that  the  gas  burns  with  a  clear 
flame,  and  that  it  has  been  running  to  waste  for  more  than  five  years. 

At  the  Lamhertson  Ranch,  also  near  Lake  Tulare,  a  well  was  bored  in 
1889  to  a  depth  of  1,058  feet,  which  yields  both  flowing  water  and 
natural  gas;  the  formation  is  alternate  strata  of  sand  and  clay,  with 
much  quicksand.  The  last  200  feet  or  more  were  nearly  all  through  fine 
sand,  which  contains  numerous  shells.  Some  of  these  shells  were  exam- 
ined by  Dr.  Cooper,  who  determined  them  to  be  Amnicola  turbiniformis 
and  Sphxriufn  dentatum.  The  first  named  is  a  Pliocene,  and  the  latter  is 
a  living  fresh-water  mollusk.  From  these  shells  it  appears  that  the  filling 
of  the  valley  to  a  depth  of  1,058  feet  is,  geologically  speaking,  very  recent. 

On  the  Jacobs  Ranch,  about  7  miles  north  of  the  Lambertson  well,  in 
July,  1889,  a  well  was  bored  to  the  depth  of  887  feet.  Flowing  water 
was  struck  between  the  depths  of  508  and  514  feet.  The  formation  was 
similar  to  that  at  the  Lambertson  well,  but  it  contained  less  quicksand. 
At  the  depth  of  190  feet  a  flow  of  gas  was  encountered  which  forced  the 
water  out  of  the  casing.  As  the  casing  was  nearly  filled  with  water  at 
the  time,  the  gas  must  have  been  under  a  pressure  of  more  than  seven 
atmospheres — that  is,  more  than  105  pounds  to  the  square  inch.  The 
gas  appeared  to  come  from  a  stratum  of  blue  sand  about  one  foot  in 
thickness,  which  was  overlaid  by  a  stratum  of  blue  clay  50  feet  thick. 
Fifteen  different  flows  of  water  were  observed  in  this  well,  and  an  increase 
of  the  amount  of  gas  was  observed  as  each  flow  of  water  was  struck. 

GENERAL  REMARKS  ON  OIL,  GAS,  AND  ASPHALTUM  IN  KERN  COUNTY. 

Petroleum  and  gas  bearing  formations  are  found  on  both  sides  of  the 
San  Joaquin  Valley  in  Kern  County.  At  the  Sunset  Oil  District  and  at 
Asphalto,  on  the  western  side  of  the  valley,  the  petroleum  and  gas  yield- 


R  25W 


TED  THUS. 


SK£TCM-M/^P 
OFSUN3£TO/L  CL/7/M6 

/6Si/£03/ 

CffL  ST^re MINfNCBUHEm 

ffcco/^Pff/vv/NC  ff£PO/fr  Of 

/7ss/sr/?/ir//v  £/£ii> 


e/p 

srff/^E . 


23 


26 


> 


35 


7^ 


''HyslCAL 
vCfENCES 


LIBRARY 


SKETCH-MfJP 
OFSUNS£rO/L  CLff/M3 

/isc/£OBy 

CflL  S  Tfl  TE  M/NINC  BUREffU 

1  J.J  CKfJtvrORD  , 

SrflTE  MlNE/fflWC/ST 

MZ..fy/rrrs 

j9ss/sr/?/vr/A  f/£u> 


"fvSlCAL 


—  21  — 

ing  rocks  are  extensively  exposed,  and  oil  and  asphaltuni  industries 
are  carried  on.  At  the  Sunset  Oil  District  there  are  also  deposits  of 
sulphur  and  gypsum.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley,  oil,  bituminous 
matter,  and  gas  are  found,  notably  in  T.  29  S.,  R.  28  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  and 
T.  25  S.,  R.  18  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  as  described  in  our  Vllth  Report,  p.  67. 
Inflammable  gas  is  found  at  the  Barker  ranch,  in  Sec.  5,  T.  29  S.,  INI. 
D.  M.,  as  recorded  in  this  article.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley, 
however,  the  showing  of  hydrocarbons  is  insignificant  compared  with 
that  on  the  western  side.  This  may  be  partly  accounted  for  by  the  fact 
that  the  geological  disturbance  of  the  Tertiary  rocks  on  the  western  side 
is  very  great,  while  on  the  eastern  side  it  is  very  slight.  Moreover,  it  is 
not  improbable  that  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley  the  formations 
contemporaneous  with  the  rocks  yielding  oil  on  the  western  side  are 
overlaid  by  more  recent  Tertiary  strata,  in  which  the  hydrocarbons  are 
not  very  abundant.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley,  the  Tertiary  for- 
mation is  well  represented,  as  shown  by  fossils  collected  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  Rio  Bravo  ranch.  The  writer  obtained  a  small  collection  of 
Tertiary  fossils  at  the  San  Emidio  ranch,  from  strata  overlying  the 
formations  which  yield  oil  in  the  Sunset  District,  and  a  few  from  the 
oil-yielding  rocks  themselves. 

The  numerous  Pliocene  fossils  collected  near  the  Rio  Bravo  ranch  led 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  formation  exposed  in  that  vicinity  is  more 
recent  than  at  San  Emidio,  although  it  would  not  be  safe  to  assert  such 
a  generalization  without  obtaining  a  greater  number  of  specimens  from 
both  localities.  It  is  probable  that  Tertiary  strata  underlie  the  more 
recent  formations  in  the  valley  lands  of  Kern  County,  unless  there  has 
been  a  much  greater  erosion  of  the  Tertiary  rocks  than  there  is  any  reason 
to  suspect. 

As  can  be  seen  by  examining  the  record  of  the  strata  penetrated  by 
wells  which  have  been  sunk  for  water  in  the  valley  lands  of  Kern  and 
Tulare  Counties  (see  our  Xlth  Report,  pages  233,  485),  the  recent  filling 
of  the  valley  appears  to  contain  sufficient  clayey  strata  to  serve  as  a 
cover  under  which  gas  could  be  stored  in  underlying  porous  formations. 
A  review  of  the  situation,  therefore,  warrants  the  opinion  that  deep  bor- 
ings in  the  valley  lands  of  Kern  County  would  be  quite  likely  to  pene- 
trate gas-yielding  and  possibly  oil-yielding  strata.  The  petroleum  and 
gas-yielding  formations  of  Kern  County  will  now  be  considered  more 
closely,  beginning  with  the  Sunset  Oil  District,  on  the  western  side  of  the 
valley. 

TOPOGRArHY    OF   THE    SUNSET    OIL    DISTRICT. 

The  territory  comprising  what  is  locally  known  as  the  Sunset  Oil 
District  (although  no  such  mining  district  has  been  organized)  is 
situated  in  the  first  two  tiers  of  the  northeastern  foothills  of  the  Coast 
Range,  which  rise  to  the  southward  of  Buena  Vista  Lake,  and  stretches 
out  a  short  distance  into  the  mesa  lands  which  form  the  southern  border 
of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  in  Kern  County.  The  two  tiers  of  foothills 
mentioned  commence  in  the  most  northeasterly  portion  of  the  Templore 
Mountains,  and  extend  in  a  southeasterly  direction  until  they  sink  in 
the  rolling  mesa  lands.  A  bird's-eye  view  of  this  locality  from  a  suita- 
ble eminence  on  the  mountains  to  the  southward  demonstrates  the  fact 
that  these  foothills  are  but  a  remnant  of  what  was  once  a  much  more 
extensive  formation.     In  the   western  portion   of    the  territory   under 


« 

.H 

—  21  — 

ing  rocks  are  extensively  exposed,  and  oil  and  asphaltum  industries 
are  carried  on.  At  the  Sunset  Oil  District  there  are  also  deposits  of 
sulphur  and  gypsum.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley,  oil,  bituminous 
matter,  and  gas  are  found,  notably  in  T.  29  S.,  R.  28  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  and 
T.  25  S.,  R.  18  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  as  described  in  our  Vllth  Report,  p.  67. 
Inflammable  gas  is  found  at  the  Barker  ranch,  in  Sec.  5,  T.  29  S.,  M. 
D.  M.,  as  recorded  in  this  article.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley, 
however,  the  showing  of  hydrocarbons  is  insignificant  compared  with 
that  on  the  western  side.  This  maj'  be  partly  accounted  for  by  the  fact 
that  the  geological  disturbance  of  the  Tertiary  rocks  on  the  western  side 
is  very  great,  while  on  the  eastern  side  it  is  very  slight.  Moreover,  it  is 
not  improbable  that  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley  the  formations 
contemporaneous  with  the  rocks  yielding  oil  on  the  western  side  are 
overlaid  by  more  recent  Tertiary  strata,  in  which  the  hydrocarbons  are 
not  very  abundant.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley,  the  Tertiary  for- 
mation is  well  represented,  as  shown  by  fossils  collected  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  Rio  Bravo  ranch.  The  writer  obtained  a  small  collection  of 
Tertiary  fossils  at  the  San  Emidio  ranch,  from  strata  overlying  the 
formations  which  yield  oil  in  the  Sunset  District,  and  a  few  from  the 
oil-yielding  rocks  themselves. 

The  numerous  Pliocene  fossils  collected  near  the  Rio  Bravo  ranch  led 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  formation  exposed  in  that  vicinity  is  more 
recent  than  at  San  Emidio,  although  it  would  not  be  safe  to  assert  such 
a  generalization  without  obtaining  a  greater  number  of  specimens  from 
both  localities.  It  is  probable  that  Tertiary  strata  underlie  the  more 
recent  formations  in  the  valley  lands  of  Kern  County,  unless  there  has 
been  a  much  greater  erosion  of  the  Tertiary  rocks  than  there  is  any  reason 
to  suspect. 

As  can  be  seen  by  examining  the  record  of  the  strata  penetrated  by 
wells  which  have  been  sunk  for  water  in  the  valley  lands  of  Kern  and 
Tulare  Counties  (see  our  Xlth  Report,  pages  233,  485),  the  recent  filling 
of  the  valley  appears  to  contain  sufficient  clayey  strata  to  serve  as  a 
cover  under  which  gas  could  be  stored  in  underlying  porous  formations. 
A  review  of  the  situation,  therefore,  warrants  the  opinion  that  deep  bor- 
ings in  the  valley  lands  of  Kern  County  would  be  quite  likely  to  pene- 
trate gas-yielding  and  possibly  oil-yielding  strata.  The  petroleum  and 
gas-yielding  formations  of  Kern  County  will  now  be  considered  more 
closely,  beginning  with  the  Sunset  Oil  District,  on  the  western  side  of  the 
valley . 

TOPOGRAPHY    OF   THE    SUNSET    OIL    DISTRICT. 

The  territory  comprising  what  is  locally  known  as  the  Sunset  Oil 
District  (although  no  such  mining  district  has  been  organized)  is 
situated  in  the  first  two  tiers  of  the  northeastern  foothills  of  the  Coast 
Range,  which  rise  to  the  southward  of  Buena  Vista  Lake,  and  stretches 
out  a  short  distance  into  the  mesa  lands  which  form  the  southern  border 
of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  in  Kern  County.  The  two  tiers  of  foothills 
mentioned  commence  in  the  most  northeasterly  portion  of  the  Templore 
Mountains,  and  extend  in  a  southeasterly  direction  until  they  sink  in 
the  rolling  mesa  lands.  A  bird's-eye  view  of  this  locality  from  a  suita- 
ble eminence  on  the  mountains  to  the  southward  demonstrates  the  fact 
that  these  foothills  are  but  a  remnant  of  what  was  once  a  much  more 
extensive  formation.     In  the   western   portion   of    the  territory   under 


—  22  — 

discussion  a  large  gap,  coinciding  with  the  bed  of  Bitter  Water  Creek, 
has  been  eroded  nearly  at  right  angles  to  the  prevailing  strike  of  the 
country  rock.  Another  valley,  as  shown  on  the  sketch-map  hereto 
appended,  has  been  worn  in  a  direction  nearly  parallel  to  the  prevailing 
strike  of  the  formation;  this  valley  almost  cuts  off  the  first  tier  of  hills, 
which  are  composed  mainly  of  light-colored  shale,  from  a  second  tier  in 
which  sandstone  predominates. 

At  two  other  places,  shown  respectively  on  the  sketch-map  as  "Cienega  " 
Creek  and  Bitter  Creek,  ravines  have  been  cut  through  the  hills  trans- 
versely to  the  prevailing  strike  of  the  country  rock;  and  they  are  occu- 
pied by  the  dry  beds  of  the  creeks  named.  Opinions  differ  with  regard 
to  the  correct  name  of  Cienega  Creek,  hence  it  is  marked  "Cienega?" 
on  the  accompanying  sketch-map. 

The  rocky  strata  throughout  the  foothills  forriiing  this  portion  of  the 
Coast  Range  are  greatly  obscured  by  soil,  upon  which  fair  grazing  is 
furnished  during  the  spring.  The  continuity  of  this  heavy  mantle  of 
alluvium  no  doubt  results  from  the  scarcity  of  rain.  During  the  winter, 
violent  storms  occasionally  send  torrents  down  the  channels,  which  in 
some  places  cut  so  deeply  into  the  earth  as  to  expose  the  rock  beneath. 
For  the  rest  of  the  year,  these  dry  creek-beds  are  the  embodiment  of 
aridity,  except  when  there  is  a  cloud-burst  in  the  mountains.  These 
cloud-bursts  occur  during  thunder  storms,  usually  during  the  summer 
time,  and  they  give  rise  to  muddy  debacles,  which  sweep  with  resistless 
force  through  the  parched  watercourses,  tearing  off  huge  masses  of  the 
softer  formations,  and  strewing  the  mesa  lands  with  blocks  of  harder 
rock  from  the  higher  portions  of  the  Coast  Range.  Some  of  these  creek- 
beds  are  White  with  effervescent  salts,  and  in  places  they  are  moistened 
by  saline  springs.     There  is  no  potable  water  in  the  Sunset  Oil  District. 

To  the  southward  of  the  district,  tier  after  tier  of  mountainous  ridges 
rise  toward  the  dominant  ridge  of  the  Tehachapi  range,  as  this  portion 
of  the  Coast  Range  is  named  upon  the  Kern  County  map.  The  north- 
eastern slope  and  the  greater  portion  of  the  summit  slope  of  the  Tehachapi 
range  is  covered  with  alluvium.  On  the  summits  of  these  mountains 
there  are  not  only  grazing,  but  agricultural  lands.  Potable  water  is 
found  in  springs,  and  also  by  digging  in  the  bottom  of  ravines;  and 
although  the  writer  is  informed  that  several  dry  wells  are  often  dug 
before  water  is  obtained,  the  water  supply  appears  to  be  sufficient  for 
the  requirements  of  the  inhabitants. 

THE    GEOLOGY  OF   THE   SUNSET   OIL   DISTRICT   AND  ADJACENT  TERRITORY. 

The  rocky  formations  which  impinge  on  the  southern  portion  of  the 
Sunset  Oil  District,  constitute  the  mountainous  ridges  previously  men- 
tioned on  the  northeastern  slope  of  the  Tehachapi  range.  These  ridges 
are,  for  the  most  part,  formed  by  flexures  in  the  stratified  rocks,  which 
create,  as  it  were,  subsidiary  anticlinals,  some  of  which  are  very  acute, 
their  slopes  frequently  presenting  an  angle  of  more  than  60°.  The  strike 
of  this  formation,  in  a  general  way,  is  southeasterly  and  northwesterly. 
These  rocks  yield  springs  of  sulphuretted  and  saline  water,  and  of  pota- 
ble water  at  a  few  places  in  the  higher  portions  of  the  mountains.  It  is 
said  that  at  one  place  in  this  formation  there  is  a  seepage  of  oil.  No  fos- 
sils were  found  in  this  formation,  but  its  lithological  character  resembles 
that  of  the  San  Emidio  Caiion,  where  a  small  collection  of  fossils  was 


—  23  — 

obtained.  Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper  found  these  to  consist  of  two  orders:  (a) 
Fossils  from  thick  sandstone  strata,  which  are  referred  by  him  to  the 
Tejon  group  of  the  Cretaceous  system;  (&)  Miocene  fossils,  also  from 
thick  sandstone  strata. 

The  rocky  formations  of  the  Sunset  Oil  District  will  now  be  enumer- 
ated in  what  appears  to  be  the  order  of  their  relative  stratographical 
superposition.  The  geological  periods  to  which  they  respectively  belong 
can  only  be  inferred  from  the  few  poorly  preserved  fossils  obtained  in 
this  locality,  and  from  the  physical  resemblance  of  the  rocks  themselves 
to  the  rocks  of  other  formations  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Coast  Range, 
which  are  richer  in  palseontological  evidence.  The  most  ancient  series  of 
rocks  exposed  in  the  Sunset  Oil  District  consist  of  sandstone,  calcareo- 
silicious  rocks  and  impure  limestone,  dark-colored  earthy  and  sandy 
shales,  massive  light-colored  shales  which  show  a  hackly  fracture,  strata 
of  sandstone  with  rounded  concretions,  calcareous  sandstones,  and  fine 
calcareous  conglomerate.  The  exposures  of  formation  are  scarce,  and  the 
few  that  exist  show  great  geological  disturbance.  Within  short  distances 
the  strata  frequently  dip  in  opposite  directions  and  at  different  angles  of 
inclination;  the  prevailing  dip,  however,  appears  to  be  northeasterly. 

These  rocks  are  best  exposed  along  what  appears  to  be  the  axis  of  a 
tlexure,  which  forms  the  second  tier  of  foothills  which  rise  to  the  south- 
ward of  the  mesa-land.  A  general  view  of  the  situation  leads  to  the  con- 
clusion that  this  flexure  has  been  modified,  not  only  by  erosion,  but  by 
faulting.  This  formation  yields  springs  of  sulphuretted  brines,  and  in 
one  place  (Station  52;  see  sketch-map)  a  small  quantity  of  greenish  oil 
accompanies  the  brine;  but  no  tufa  nor  any  solid  bituminous  deposit  is 
formed.  No  fossils  were  found  in  this  formation.  The  most  striking 
characteristic  features  of  this  formation  are  the  earthy  and  sandy 
shales,  and  the  sandstone  containing  rounded  concretions.  It  may 
here  be  remarked  that  similar  shales  and  sandstones  constitute  Late 
Cretaceous  strata,  which  are  found  beneath  light-colored  silicious 
shales  in  the  oil  district  9  miles  north  of  Coalinga,  in  Fresno  County. 

The  next  formation  is  composed  mainly  of  light-colored  silicious 
shales,  and  constitutes  the  first  tier  of  foothills.  These  shales  are  fre- 
quently of  a  brownish  color  when  first  mined,  but  they  become  almost 
white  under  the  action  of  the  atmosphere;  indeed,  the  outcroppings  of 
this  rock  are  white  or  light-colored  for  several  feet  beneath  the  surface. 

This  light-colored  silicious  shale  is  by  far  the  most  characteristic  rock 
of  the  bituminous  formations;  much  of  it  is  of  low  specific  gravity,  is 
porous,  sticking  readily  to  the  tongue,  and  is  easily  scratched;  some  of 
this  shale,  however,  especially  in  the  lower  portion  of  the  formation,  is 
indurated,  apparently  by  the  infiltration  of  silicious  water.  Occasion- 
ally pieces  of  this  shale  are  found  which  show  silicious  induration  only 
in  the  outer  portions  of  the  lamimo  of  which  it  is  composed,  and  a  cross 
fracture  reveals  soft,  light-colored  shale  within.  The  chemical  composi- 
tion of  these  shales  is  as  interesting  as  their  physical  appearance,  the 
characteristic  feature  being  the  large  amount  of  silica  they  contain. 
Two  specimens  from  the  Sunset  Oil  District  were  examined,  which 
.«howed  as  follows: 


—  24  — 


Insoluble  in 
Acid. 


Silica  Soluble  in 
Sodium  Carbonate. 


Total  Amount  of 
Silica. 


(a) 
(b). 


99  per  cent. 
91  per  cent. 


12  per  cent. 
24  per  cent. 


98  per  cent. 
89  per  cent. 


Only  very  small  quantities  of  alumina  were  present  in  these  speci- 
mens; indeed,  one  gramme  of  the  shale  did  not  yield  a  sufficient  quan- 
tity of  alumina  for  accurate  estimation.  The  only  other  constituent 
of  the  portion  of  the  shale  which  was  insoluble  in  acid  was  a  little 
iron.  The  constituents  soluble  in  acid  were  not  worked  out;  qualita- 
tively (a)  showed  iron  and  a  little  lime;  (b)  showed  iron,  lime,  and 
magnesia. 

In  some  places  these  light-colored  shales  are  interstratified  with  sand- 
stone, and  also  with  calcareo-silicious  strata.  The  sandstone  is  seldom 
many  feet  in  thickness,  frequently  only  a  few  inches.  The  granules  of 
which  the  sandstone  is  composed  are  usually  individualized,  although 
in  some  instances  they  appear  to  be  metamorphosed  and  emerged  in  a 
silicious  mass.  There  are  also  a  few  loosely  coherent  sandy  strata,  which 
are  scarcely  compact  enough  to  be  called  sandstone;  they  are  usually 
micaceous,  and  sometimes  saturated  with  petroleum.  The  silicious  rocks, 
as  far  as  macroscopic  inspection  can  determine,  are  amorphous,  and  they 
frequently  possess  a  cleavage  resembling  the  soft,  silicious  shales  with 
which  they  are  interstratified.  Many  of  these  silicious  rocks  are  calca- 
reous, varying  from  "a  flinty  rock,  which  shows  a  slight  reaction  with 
hydrochloric  acid,  to  a  silicious  limestone.  These  hard  strata  ("shells,'^ 
as  the  well-borers  call  them)  are  usually  either  white  or  buff-colored, 
but  occasionally  they  are  reddish  brown,  at  least  such  is  their  appear- 
ance where  they  crop  out  at  the  surface  of  the  ground.  These  silicious 
strata,  like  the  shales  they  interstratify,  are  darker  colored  at  some 
distance  beneath  the  surface.  The  reason  of  this  change  in  color 
probably  is  that  underground  the  rocky  formation  includes  some  moist- 
ure and  bituminous  matter,  which  evaporates  when  the  rock  is  brought 
to  the  surface;  also  that  the  iron  contained  by  rocks  beneath  the  surface 
is  in  the  ferrous  condition,  which  changes  to  the  ferric  on  exposure  to 
the  air. 

The  light-colored  shales  are  much  less  disturbed  than  the  formation 
on  which  they  rest.  The  direction  of  the  dip  of  the  light-colored  shales 
in  the  Sunset  Oil  District  varies  from  5^  to  35°  east  of  north ;  and  the 
angle  of  inclination  is  in  some  places  as  low  as  20°,  while  in  others  it  is 
as  high  as  80°.  The  northerly  direction  of  the  dip  appears  the  most 
pronounced  in  the  eastern  portion  of  the  district,  and  the  angle  of  incli- 
nation increases  toward  the  bottom  of  the  formation.  On  the  Santa 
Jaga  Creek,  however,  in  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  district,  the  dip  is 
southwesterly,  and  at  an  angle  of  less  than  20°.  At  several  places  in 
this  light-colored  shale  there  are  seepages  of  heavy,  black  oil,  with  springs 
of  sulphuretted  brine  and  saline  water;  and  the  heavy  oil  has  formed 
beds  of  solid  bitumen,  as  hereinafter  described. 

In  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  Templore  Mountains,  where  the  first 
tier  of  foothills  which  traverse  the  Sunset  Oil  District  appears  to  culmi- 
nate, the  formation  is  almost  entirely  light-colored  shale.  The  dip  of 
this  shale  in  these  mountains  warrants  the  belief  that  that  formation 
has  been  thrown  by  flexure  into  two  short  anticlinals.     It  is  no  great 


'^; 


Asphaltum  V>ed  at  Salt  ^farsh,  Sunset  Oil  District,  Xern  County. 


--"  '--^^l^ 


rilv  ■■*:*"■■  ■j^'si 


^-....^^- 


^    V 


nilphur  Deposits,  Sunset  oil  District,  Kern  Count}- , 


Peculiar  Krosion  in  Sandstone  uiulerlyint;  I-i^^lit-*  ulored  Shale. 
Sunset  Oil  District,  Kern  County. 


—  25  — 

stretch  of  the  imagination  to  suppose  that  if  the  strata  forming  such 
anticlinals  were  prolonged  to  the  eastward,  the  northern  slope  of  the 
southernmost  anticlinal  would  correspond  to  the  main  body  of  the  light- 
colored  shales  which  yields  the  heavy  oil  and  brine  in  the  Sunset  Oil 
District;  and  that  the  northern  slope  of  the  northern  anticlinal  would 
correspond  to  the  strata  which  furnish  the  springs  of  heavy  oil  and  brine 
at  Salt  Marsh,  in  the  northern  extremity  of  the  district.  These  features 
can  be  further  observed  in  the  accompanying  sketch-map  by  noting  the 
direction  of  the  arrows  showing  the  dip  of  the  light-colored  shale;  but 
the  erosion  which  has  taken  place,  and  the  alluvium  with  which  the 
hills  are  covered,  render  the  expression  of  opinion  hazardous. 

Although  the  southern  limit  of  the  light-colored  shale  in  the  district 
is  tolerably  well  defined,  it  is  not  unlikely  that  in  some  places,  where 
this  shale  has  escaped  erosion,  it  may  extend  a  long  way  up  the  north- 
eastern slope  of  the  Coast  Range.  In  one  instance  a  well  was  dug  at 
an  altitude  of  nearly  3,000  feet,  in  which  light-colored  shales  similar  in 
appearance  to  those  found  in  the  lower  foothills  were  penetrated. 

At  two  oil  seepages  in  the  northern  edge  of  the  light-colored  shale  for- 
mation, viz.:  a  short  distance  southwest  of  Flag  Xo.  3,  and  at  Station 
No.  66,  as  shown  in  the  sketch-map,  there  are  calcareous  strata  contain- 
ing marine  shells.  Only  tliree  specimens,  however,  were  obtained  which 
were  sufficiently  perfect  for  identification.  These  were  found  by  Dr. 
Cooper  to  be  of  the  latest  Tertiary  epoch: 

Tapes  staleyi,  Gabb.. -- - - Pliocene. 

Macoma  inquinata.  Desh -- - Living,  Pliocene. 

Mya  arenaria,  Linn. -- ..Living,  Pliocene. 

The  fossiliferous  strata  are  situated  near  the  southern  edge  of 
sandstones  which  dip  in  a  northerly  direction.  The  remnant  of  this 
sandstone  formation  which  is  exposed  in  the  district  is  insufficient  to 
warrant  much  being  said  upon  the  subject. 

Last  in  order  come  the  formations  which  are  but  little  disturbed,  some 
of  which  are  practically  horizontal.  With  one  exception  the  opportu- 
nities for  examining  these  deposits  in  the  Sunset  Oil  District  are  still 
more  rare  than  in  the  case  of  the  underlying  Tertiary  sandstones. 

Briefly  these  horizontal  formations  are  as  follows: 

(a)  Hard,  white,  silicious  sandstone,  which  appears  to  have  been 
indurated  by  infiltering  water.  This  rock  is  exposed  about  two  miles 
northwest  of  the  oil  springs  at  Salt  Marsh,  where  it  shows  a  thickness 
of  about  60  feet;  also  at  the  sulphur  deposits  near  the  Sunset  Oil 
Well. 

(h)  A  soft,  white,  gypseous  rock,  which  rests  uncomformably  on  the 
older  formations.  In  the  eastern  portion  of  the  Sunset  Oil  District,  and 
about  a  mile  eastward  therefrom,  this  white,  gypseous  rock  attains  a 
thickness  of  several  feet,  and  forms  low  hills  upon  the  mesa-land.  It 
can  also  be  seen  resting  upon  the  upturned  edges  of  older  strata  at  an 
altitude  of  nearly  2,000  feet.  A  specimen  of  this  white  rock  was  exam- 
ined in  the  laboratory  of  the  California  State  Mining  Bureau  and  was 
found  to  be  composed  of  sulphate  and  a  carbonate  of  lime  and  clayey 
matter. 

(c)  Soft,  friable  sandstones,  which  can  be  seen  in  the  low  liills  adja- 
cent to  the  oil  springs  at  Salt  Marsh. 

{(l)  Travertine,  calcareous  tufa,   and   breccia,  containing  numerous 


—  26  — 

fragments  of  light-colored   shale.     These  rocks  can  be  seen   near  the 
brine  and  oil  springs,  a  short  distance  to  the  northwest  of  Flag  Xo.  5. 

MINERALS,    OIL    CLAIMS,    AND    BITUMINOUS    DEPOSITS    OF    THE    SUNSET    OIL 

DISTRICT. 

The  mineral  products  of  the  rocky  formations  of  the  Sunset  Oil  Dis- 
trict are  inflammable  gas,  petroleum,  asphaltum,  mineral  water,  sulphur, 
and  gj'psum.  Of  these  minerals,  those  to  which  this  article  is  princi- 
pally devoted  are  the  hydrocarbon  compounds.  These  occur  as  gas 
and  oil,  which  are  yielded  by  natural  springs  and  by  wells  which  have 
been  bored,  and  also  as  superficial  deposits  of  oil-soaked  earth  or  rock,  and 
as  beds  of  asphaltum;  the  latter,  no  doubt,  are  caused  by  exudations  of 
heavy  oil  from  which  the  lighter  naphthas  have  evaporated,  and  which 
have  undergone  a  partial  oxidization. 

The  group  of  oil  and  sulphur  claims  which  constitute  what  is  locally 
known  as  the  Sunset  Oil  District  are  as  follows:  The  Jewett  and  Blodgett 
claims,  the  Bakersfield,  the  Texas,  the  Oil  Queen,  the  Ravena,  and  the 
Sulphur  claims.  As  shown  in  the  accompanying  sketch-map,  these 
claims  extend  diagonally  about  6|  miles  in  a  northwesterly  and  south- 
easterly direction,  viz.:  from  Sec.  2,  R.  24  W.,  T.  12  N.,  S.  B.  M.,  to  Sec. 
27,  R.  23  W.,  T.  11  N.,  S.  B.  M. 

In  this  district  by  far  the  greatest  amount  of  development  has  been 
done  by  Messrs.  Jewett  and  Blodgett,  of  Bakersfield,  on  the  Sunset,  the 
Jewett  and  Blodgett,  and  the  Bakersfield  claims. 

The  first  mineral  of  the  Sunset  District  placed  upon  the  market  by 
Messrs.  Jewett  and  Blodgett  was  asphaltum,  obtained  principally  in 
Section  20  from  a  bed  of  asphaltum  through  which  most  of  the  wells 
marked  on  the  sketch-map  as  Oil  Wells,  Group  1,  are  sunk  and  from  sta- 
tions marked  No.  9  and  No.  10,  respectively.  When  the  mining  of  asphal- 
tum was  first  commenced  at  Oil  Wells,  Group  1,  there  was  a  bed  of 
asphaltum,  which  extended  over  several  acres,  varying  in  thickness  from 
3  to  25  feet  or  more.  This  asphaltum,  which  was  of  different  degrees  of 
purity,  existed  not  only  in  exposed  mounds,  but  was  found  by  excavation 
to  extend  in  some  places  beneath  the  superficial  drift.  In  the  asphaltum 
the  bones  of  animals  were  discovered,  as  well  as  some  stone  mortars,  the 
latter  being  found  beneath  4  or  5  feet  of  asphaltum.  The  beds  of  asphal- 
tum at  Stations  9  and  10  present  similar  characteristics  to  the  asphaltum 
at  the  oil  wells,  and  trenches  which  have  been  cut  through  the  asphal- 
tum show  it  to  be  very  similar,  both  as  to  quality  and  depth.  The  super- 
ficial asphaltum  is  of  good  quality,  but  beneath  it  the  asphaltum  is  dry 
and  pulverulent  and  mixed  with  earth.  The  dry  asphaltum  is  used  for 
fuel.  In  several  places  heavy  oil  oozes  through  the  asphaltum.  The 
asphaltum  is  principally  black,  pitch-like  bitumen,  varying  from  solid  to 
viscous;  some  of  it,  however,  is  yellowish  in  color. 

An  asphaltum  refinery  was  erected  at  the  Sunset  Oil  Wells  by  Messrs. 
Jewett  and  Blodgett,  the  process  employed  for  refining  the  asphaltum 
being  similar  to  that  hereinafter  described  as  used  at  Asphalto.  The  raw 
material  yielded  from  50  to  75  per  cent  of  refined  asphaltum.  About 
1,200  tons  of  refined  asphaltum  were  shipped  from  these  works  during 
1892.  The  best  quality  of  raw  material  in  these  beds  has  been  worked 
up,  and  the  refining  of  crude  asphaltum  was  discontinued  at  the  Sunset 
Oil  Wells  when  the  Southern   Pacific  Railroad  Company  extended  its 


—  27  — 

branch  line  to  Asphalto,  about  30  miles  distant,  where  there  are  deposits 
of  asphaltum  near  the  railroad.  The  cost  of  producing  refined 
asphaltum  at  the  Sunset  works  was  about  $10  a  ton,  not  including 
wear  and  tear  of  plant.  The  cost  of  transportation  by  wagon  from 
the  Sunset  Oil  AVells  to  Bakersfield  was  $6  a  ton. 

OIL   WELLS    OF    JEWETT    AND    BLODGETT. 

Messrs.  Jewett  and  Blodgett  bored  two  groups  of  wells  in  the  mesa 
lands  of  the  Sunset  Oil  District.  One  of  these  groups,  which  is  marked 
"  Oil  Wells,  Group  i,"  on  the  sketch-map,  is  in  Section  21 ;  and  the  other, 
marked  "  Group  5,"  is  in  Section  28.  In  Group  1  there  are  thirteen 
wells,  one  of  these  being  1,300  feet  in  depth,  the  remainder  varying  from 
80  to  500  feet  in  depth.  The  1,300-foot  well  yielded  flowing  water  and 
much  gas;  the  others  yield  a  heavy  oil  by  pumping.  The  twelve  oil- 
producing  wells  are  all  situated  within  an  area  of  about  400  feet  in  length 
and  30  feet  in  width.  The  1,300-foot  well  was  bored  a  short  distance  in  a 
northeasterly  direction  from  the  most  northerly  of  the  oil-yielding  wells. 
The  twelve  oil  wells  yield  altogether  about  15  barrels  of  oil  every  twenty- 
four  hours.  The  specific  gravity  of  this  oil  varies  in  the  different  wells 
from  about  12°  Baume  to  a  heavy  liquid  asphaltum  that  requires  to  be 
heated  by  steam,  which  is  forced  to  the  bottom  of  the  well,  before  the 
heavy  oil  can  be  pumped.  Six  of  these  are  dry  wells,  and  are  sunk  to 
a  depth  of  from  80  to  100  feet.  The  stratum  yielding  the  greater  por- 
tion of  the  heavy  oil  is  about  35  feet  in  thickness.  The  other  six 
are  drilled  wells  varying  from  150  to  500  feet  in  depth.  All  these  wells 
are  sunk  to  a  sufficient  depth  to  form  reservoirs  at  the  bottom  capable 
of  storing  the  oil  which  gathers  during  several  days,  for  a  few  hours  of 
pumping  is  sufficient  to  pump  the  oil  accumulated  during  twenty-four 
hours.  Each  well  is  furnished  with  a  pumping-jack,  consisting  of 
knee  and  frame,  which  is  securely  anchored  to  the  ground  or  mud  sills. 
All  these  wells  are  pumped  with  lift  pumps,  which  have  a  4-inch  work- 
ing barrel,  pumping  from  the  bottom.  It  is  necessary  to  pump  heavy 
oil  at  a  very  low  rate  of  speed;  indeed,  the  speed  employed  is  only 
four  strokes  of  two  feet  a  minute.  All  the  pumps  are  worked  simulta- 
neously by  connecting  rods  which  are  attached  to  a  large  oscillating 
wheel,  run  by  a  10-foot  driving-wheel.  (See  illustration  in  our  Xlth 
Report,  p.  233.)  The  power  is  supplied  by  a  fifteen  horse-power  link- 
motion,  single-action  engine.  This  pumping  plant,  together  with  the 
engine  and  boiler,  is  run  by  one  man. 

This  method  of  simultaneously  pumping  so  many  wells  from  one 
source  of  power,  and  at  different  angles,  was  devised  by  Mr.  E.  Youle, 
the  Superintendent  of  the  Sunset  Oil  Works,  and  of  the  works  of  the 
Standard  Asphalt  Company,  at  Asphalto.  The  oil  is  pumped  by  this 
method  from  the  wells  into  two  tanks,  each  of  which  is  12x20x2  feet  in 
dimensions.  In  these  tanks,  the  heavy  oil,  which  is  accompanied  by 
more  or  less  water,  is  heated  by  steam  coils  to  a  temperature  of  from 
212°  to  220°  Fahr.  This  lessens  the  specific  gravity  of  the  oil,  and 
allows  it  to  rise  to  the  surface  of  the  water.  As  much  water  as  possible 
is  drawn  from  the  bottom  of  the  tanks,  and  the  remainder,  which  is 
entangled  in  the  oil,  is  expelled  as  steam,  by  increasing  the  temperature 
in  the  tanks.  The  oil  is  then  conducted  by  a  3-inch  pipe  from  the 
tanks  to  two  refining  kettles,  each  of  which  is  12  feet  long,  5  feet  wide, 


—  28  — 

and  3  feet  deep.  These  kettles  are  set  in  brick  work,  and  in  con- 
struction resemble  those  hereinafter  described  at  Asphalto,  the  only- 
difference  being  that  the  former  are  furnished  with  air-tight  lids,  fitted 
with  goose-neck  pipes  connected  by  unions  with  a  coil  and  condenser. 

The  process  of  refining  the  oil  is  as  follows:  As  soon  as  a  kettle  is 
filled,  the  lid  is  left  partially  open,  until  the  oil  will  stand  a  tem- 
perature of  300'^  Fahr.  without  foaming.  During  the  early  stage  of 
this  process  the  man  in  charge  has  constantly  to  watch  the  contents 
of  the  kettle,  and  so  to  regulate  the  heat  as  to  prevent  the  oil  from 
foaming.  When  the  oil  remains  perfectly  still,  at  a  temperature  of 
300°  Fahr.,  the  cover  is  screwed  down,  and  the  temperature  of  the  oil 
is  gradually  heated  to  550°  Fahr,  The  vapors  given  off  are  drawn  into 
the  condenser  pipe  by  a  suction  produced  by  an  air-compressor  blast, 
and  the  expansion  of  the  air,  as  it  leaves  the  compressor,  maintains  the 
water  in  the  condenser-box  at  a  low  temperature.  During  the  entire 
process  the  oil  is  constantly  stirred  by  a  stirrer,  consisting  of  paddles 
attached  to  a  shaft  which  runs  through  the  kettle.  This  stirrer  is 
worked  by  a  wire  cable  running  from  the  oscillating  wheel  in  the  power- 
house, which  also  works  the  pumps,  as  previously  described. 

The  crude  oil  yields  about  50  per  cent  of  distillates,  which  have  an 
average  specific  gravity  of  20°  B.  The  heat  is  increased  toward  the 
end  of  the  process  to  700°  Fahr.,  in  order  to  expel  the  heavier  distillates 
and  make  the  refined  asphaltum  hard.  It  is  the  intention  of  the  Sunset 
Company  to  treat  these  heavy  distillates  by  fractional  distillation;  and 
at  the  time  of  the  writer's  visit  these  distillates  were  being  stored  in 
tanks  for  that  purpose. 

During  the  process  of  refining,  the  oil  is  from  time  to  time  drawn  from 
stop-cocks  in  the  kettles  and  tested.  The  process  is  considered  completed 
when,  on  withdrawing  a  sample  of  the  residue  and  pouring  it  into 
water,  it  forms  a  hard,  black,  lustrous  substance,  which  bends  slightly, 
and  breaks  under  a  moderate  pressure  of  the  hand.  The  residue,  which 
consists  of  refined  asphaltum,  is  then  discharged  into  a  kettle  suspended 
on  a  carrier.  This  kettle  is  furnished  with  a  swing-pipe,  through  which 
the  refined  asphaltum  is  drawn  oft'  into  boxes  in  a  manner  hereinafter 
described  when  speaking  of  the  process  of  refining  asphaltum  at 
Asphalto. 

The  fire-boxes  under  the  kettles  at  the  Sunset  works,  like  those  at 
Asphalto,  are  furnished  with  grate  bars  formed  of  iron  pipe.  The  fuel 
is  the  dry  crude  asphaltum.  The  manager  of  the  Sunset  works  states 
that  the  asphaltum  made  in  these  oil  kettles  is  100  fine,  and  that  it  is 
used  in  the  manufacture  of  printing  ink  and  varnish. 

RECORD  OF  OIL  WELLS,  GROUP  1. 

The  following  records  show  the  character  of  the  formation  penetrated 
by  the  wells  belonging  to  Group  1 : 

Well  No.  1. 

Bored  in  INIarch,  1891.    This  well  was  commenced  witli  11-inch  casing. 

Surface  drift,  to  a  depth  of 50  feet. 

Light-colored  shale,  to  a  depth  of 400  feet. 

At  this  depth  mineral  water  rose  to  within  40  feet  of  the  top  of  the  casing. 
Black  sandy  shale,  to  a  depth  of ._. 559  feet. 

At  this  depth  the  diameter  of  casing  was  reduced  to  S%  inches. 
Black  sandy  shale,  with  black  sulphur  water,  to  a  depth  of 610  feet. 

At  this  depth,  casing  reduced  to  6%  inches. 


—  29  — 

Black  sandy  shale,  to  a  depth  of 700  feet. 

Gas  from  this  depth  burned  with  a  Hame  4  feet  high  from  a  7-inch  pipe, 
lilack  sandy  shale,  with  oil  in  seams,  to  a  depth  of 900  feet. 

At  this  depth,  casing  reduced  to  5%  inches. 

Verj'  light-colored  shale,  to  a  depth  of 928  feet. 

Gray  sand  rock,  with  flowing  water,  to  a  depth  of 995  feet. 

At  this  depth  the  well  flowed  50  barrels  of  mineral  water  dailj'-,  and  yielded 
much  gas  but  little  oil. 

Light-colored  shale,  to  a  depth  of 1,235  feet. 

Dark-colored  shale,  which  caved  badly,  to  a  depth  of-.. 1,250  feet. 

At  this  depth,  casing  reduced  to  4%' inches. 
Dark-colored  shale,  to  a  depth  of 1,290  feet. 

The  first  gas  was  noticed  at  a  depth  of  600  feet,  and  two  other  distinct  flows  were  struck 
at  depths  of  928  and  1,200  feet,  respectively. 

Well  No.  2. 

Asphaltum,  to  a  depth  of 30  feet. 

Dark-colored  shale,  with  a  small  amount  of  oil,  to  a  depth  of 60  feet. 

Dark-colored  shale,  with  more  oil,  to  a  depth  of    130  feet. 

Light  blue  shale,  with  either  oil  or  water,  to  a  depth  of 500  feet. 

In  this  shale  a  thin  stratum  of  light  blue  sand  was  passed  through. 

Well  No.  S. 

Asphaltum,  to  a  depth  of 40  feet. 

Dark-colored  shale,  with  some  oil,  to  a  depth  of 110  feet. 

Light  blue  sand,  to  a  depth  of 160  feet. 

Well  No.  4. 

Asphaltum,  to  a  depth  of 50  feet. 

Drift  from  the  mountain,  to  a  depth  of 65  feet. 

Shale,  with  some  oil,  to  a  depth  of 70  feet. 

Dark-colored  shale  and  oil,  to  a  depth  of... 130  feet. 

Dark-colored  shale,  without  oil,  to  a  depth  of 160  feet. 

Light-colored  shale,  to  a  depth  of. 237  feet. 

About  40  or  50  barrels  of  mineral  water  flowed  from  this  well  daily. 

Well  No.  5. 

Asphaltum,  to  a  depth  of 25  feet. 

Dark-colored  shale,  to  a  depth  of 50  feet. 

Dark-colored  shale,  with  oil,  to  a  depth  of  121  feet. 

Dark-colored  shale,  without  oil,  to  a  depth  of 150  feet. 

Light-colored  shale,  without  oil,  to  a  depth  of !   185  feet. 

There  was  no  water  in  this  well. 

Well  No.  6. 

Wash  and  drift,  to  a  depth  of 30  feet. 

Dark  shale  and  oil,  to  a  depth  of 75  feet. 

Dark  shale,  without  oil,  to  a  depth  of 120  feet. 

The  boring  ended  in  light  shale.    There  was  no  water  in  this  well. 

Well  No.  7. 

Light-colored  shale,  to  a  depth  of 82  feet. 

Dark-colored  shale,  with  oil,  to  a  depth  of 175  feet. 

Light-colored  shale,  to  a  depth  of 215  feet. 

There  was  no  water  in  this  well. 

Well  No.  .S. 

Yellow  hardpan,  to  a  dei)th  of 15  feet. 

Dark-brown  wash  and  gravel,  to  a  depth  of 47  feet. 

Dark-colored  shale,  with  a  slight  showing  of  oil,  to  a  depth  of 110  feet. 

Beneath  the  dark-colored  shale  a  greenish  shale  was  penetrated  for  a  few  feet.  This 
greenish  shale  yielded  brackish  water,  which  filled  the  hole  to  within  15  feet  of  the  top. 
After  the  well  had  been  shut  down  for  some  days  heavy  asphaltum  oil  accumulated  in 
the  casing  to  the  depth  of  about  60  feet.  Mr.  Youle,  the  Superintendent,  is  of  tlie  opinion 
that  the  stratum  yielding  the  oil  lies  at  the  depth  of  about  110  feet. 

Well  No.  !>. 

White  soil 20  feet. 

(ireenish  soil  and  gravel 35  feet. 

Hard  "shell" 2  feet. 

Dark-colored  "mushy  mud  " ; 63  feet. 

Brown   shale,  intercalated  with  sandy  "shells"  and  streaks  of  green  sand; 

"cavy  "  formation 42  feet. 

Water  was  struck  at  the  depth  of  180  feet. 


—  30  — 

Well  No.  10. 

Earth  and  drift ..- - - 40  feet. 

Blue  clay 30  feet. 

Brown  shale 130  feet. 

There  was  no  oil  below  the  depth  of  70  feet. 

As  will  be  seen  from  the  accompanying  sectional  map,  these  wells  are 
situated  along  a  strip  about  400  feet  in  length,  which  has  a  course  of 
about  57°  west  of  north.  A  large  pile  of  material  has  been  taken  out  of 
these  wells,  and  the  fragments  of  shale,  of  which  it  was  principally 
composed,  have  become  light-colored  under  the  action  of  the  atmosphere. 
No  fossils  were  found  amongst  this  material,  but  its  physical  appearance 
left  no  doubt  but  that  it  belongs  to  the  light-colored  shale  formation 
previously  described  as  constituting  the  first  tier  of  foothills  in  the  Sun- 
set Oil  District. 

RECORD  OF  OIL  WELLS,  GROUP  2. 

In  1892-93  Messrs.  Jewett  and  Blodgett  bored  three  wells  on  the  mesa 
lands  in  Section  28,  at  a  point  a  little  more  than  a  mile  distant  from 
Oil  Wells,  Group  1,  and  in  a  southeasterly  direction  therefrom.  These 
last  bored  wells  are  marked  on  the  sketch-map  as  Oil  Wells,  Group  2. 
The  following  records  show  the  character  of  the  formation  penetrated: 

Well  No.  1. 

This  well  was  commenced  with  a  ll>^-inch  casing. 

Sulphur  and  apparently  tufa  deposited  by  mineral  water. 45  feet. 

Very  hard  gray  and  blue  sandstone  - 80  feet. 

At  a  depth  of  58  feet  there  was  a  little  oil  and  some  mineral  water. 
Gray  sandstone,  with  soft  streaks  and  more  mineral  water 160  feet. 

At  this  depth  the  casing  was  reduced  to  S'^g  inches. 
Soft  blue  sandstone,  with  hard  "shells"and  more  water. 402  feet. 

At  this  depth  the  casing  was  reduced  to  6%  inches. 
Blue  sandstone -- 420  feet. 

At  this  depth  the  water  was  shut  off. 

Coarse  sandstone,  with  oil  and  water  and  much  gas 440  feet. 

Light-blue  sand -- 445  feet. 

Sand,  with  water 820  feet. 

This  well  was  cased  from  the  depth  of  420  feet  to  that  of  820  feet  with  5-inch  casing. 
Superintendent  Youle  states  that  this  well  was  tested,  and  that  about  100  barrels  of  brine 
and  6  barrels  of  oil  were  pumped  from  it  daily  for  three  months.  It  also  furnished 
enough  gas  for  a  cook-stove. 

Well  No.  2. 

This  well  is  situated  about  200  paces  a  little  south  of  west  from  Well  No.  1. 

Earth  and  gravel - 60  feet. 

Blue  sandstone  with  some  very  hard  streaks ---  175  feet. 

Gray  and  bluish  sandstone 430  feet. 

This  stratum  yielded  daily  about  one  barrel  of  oil  mixed  with  water. 

Sandstone,  first  soft  then  hard  (more  oil  and  water) - 535  feet. 

Soft  sandstone,  passing  into  hard  sandstone  with  streaks  of  mud  (more  water, 

oil,  and  gas) — -— 660  feet. 

Sand,  with  a  little  oil  and  much  water - -- 820  feet. 

This  well  was  cased  with  8>^-inch  casing  for  the  first  245  feet,  and  below  that  depth 
with  BJ^-inch  casing.  The  writer  is  informed  that  about  1.50  barrels  of  sulphuretted 
mineral  water  and  4  barrels  of  oil  were  pumped  from  this  well  in  twenty-four  hours. 

Well  No.  3. 

This  well  is  situated  about  150  paces  a  little  east  of  south  from  Well  No.  2. 
For  the  first  300  feet  a  similar  formation  was  penetrated  to  that  passed  through 

in  Wells  No.  land  2 .300  feet. 

Bluish   gray   sandstone,   with  an   occasional   streak  of   darker  colored  and 

sharper  sand..-- "55  feet. 

At  this  depth  there  was  much  gas  and  a  little  oil.    At  the  depth  of  540  feet 
the  water  was  shut  off  with  6%-inch  casing. 
Brown  sand,  with  considerable  oil --     815  feet. 


—  31  — 

Barren  sandstone 940  feet. 

Oil-bearing  sandstone. 950  feet. 

Light-bhie  sand .- - - 1,030  feet. 

At  this  depth  a  blue  clay  impeded  drilling. 

Dark-blue  sandstone,  with  more  gas .- 1,060  feet. 

Light-blue  sandstone,  with  more  gas 1,180  feet. 

At  this  depth  there  was  an  increase  in  the  amount  of  gas  and  oil. 

Sandstone 1,210  feet. 

Black  shale ?---     1,215  feet. 

Sandstone 1,220  feet. 

Close-grained  shale,  with  more  oil -. 1,270  feet. 

Oil  sand 1,295  feet. 

Coarse  sand - - --- 1,350  feet. 

It  is  the  gas  from  this  well  which  was  used  in  the  experiments  on  the  fuel  value  of 
the  gas  at  Sunset,  as  hereinafter  recorded. 

The  oil  yielded  by  the  oil  wells  of  Group  2  is  a  dark  green  oil,  and 
possesses  a  lower  specific  gravity  than  that  yielded  by  the  oil  wells  of 
Group  1. 

OTHER    OIL    SEEPAGES   AND    OIL    WELLS. 

At  Station  64,  in  what  is  known  as  Robber's  Gulch,  there  is  a 
seepage  of  heavy  oil,  and  a  small  amount  of  asphaltum  has  been  formed. 
(See  sketch-map.)  The  upper  portion  of  the  oil-yielding  formation  at 
this  point  is  a  fossiliferous  sandy  limestone,  in  which  the  fossils  are  very 
poorly  preserved.  Beneath  the  fossiliferous  stratum  is  a  soft,  gray  sand- 
stone, about  100  feet  in  thickness;  and  beneath  the  soft,  gray  sandstone 
is  an  oil-soaked  stratum  of  sandstone,  which  rests  upon  light-colored 
shale,  interstratified  with  thin  courses  of  sandstone.  The  outcropping 
shale  shows  a  thickness  of  about  100  feet;  this  formation  dips  13°  west 
of  north  at  an  angle  of  about  55°.  The  shale  exhibits  considerable 
flexure. 

In  the  caiion  to  the  west  of  Flag  No.  3,  there  is  another  bed  of 
asphaltum,  which  extends  up  the  canon  for  about  200  yards.  In  these 
asphaltum  beds  there  are  several  springs  of  heavy  oil,  which  How  feebly 
during  hot  weather.  At  the  base  of  the  hill  on  which  Flag  No.  3  is 
situated,  fossiliferous  strata  are  exposed.  The  strata  containing  the  fos- 
sils, and  the  soft,  sandy  strata  composing  the  hill  to  the  northeast  of 
the  fossiliferous  formation,  appear  to  dip  in  a  more  easterly  direction 
and  at  a  less  angle  than  is  the  case  with  the  light-colored  shales  on 
which  they  rest. 

A  short  distance  farther  southward,  at  Station  6,  light-colored  shale 
crops  out,  which  is  intercalated  with  bituminous  sandstone.  This  for- 
mation pitches  about  30°  east  of  north,  and  at  an  angle  of  about  54°. 

In  the  mouth  of  the  caiion  about  half  a  mile  westward  from  Flag 
No.  3,  there  is  another  irregular  deposit  of  asphaltum;  and  at  point  C 
a  well  was  bored,  it  is  said,  to  the  depth  of  1,300  feet.  This  well  flows 
about  500  barrels  of  salt  water  daily.  A  little  oil  and  some  gas  accom- 
pany the  salt  water,  which  flows  with  spasmodic  energy.  A  small 
amount  of  oil  also  oozes  up  around  the  outside  of  the  casing. 

A  hundred  yards  or  so  in  a  southeasterly  direction  from  the  llowing 
well,  another  well  was  bored  to  the  depth  of  70  feet.  This  well  must  be 
nearly  full  of  oil,  for  a  heavy  black  oil  could  be  easily  pumped  witli 
what  was  said  to  be  an  ordinary  suction-pump,  which  was  fixed  in  the 
casing. 

Near  the  mouth  of  the  canon  to  the  westward  of  the  flowing  well, 
there  is  another  small  bed  of  asphaltum.     At  the  entrance  to  this  cafion 


—  32  — 

there  is  a  series  of  ledges  of  travertine,  which  are  practically  horizon- 
tal. In  some  places  this  travertine  contains  fragments  of  light-colored 
shale;  some  of  the  travertine  is  vesicular,  and  the  vesicles  are  filled  with 
petroleum.  Here  and  there  asphaltum  has  flowed  over  the  travertine, 
but  its  source  is  obscured  by  drift  from  the  mountain.  The  formation 
to  the  southward  is  principally  light-colored  shale,  which  at  Flag  No.  5 
is  interstratified  with  whitish  sandstone,  and  at  one  point  contained 
sections  of  what  appear  to  be  fish  vertebrse.  At  this  point  a  thin 
stratum  of  gypseous  material  rests  unconformably  on  the  upturned 
edges  of  the  shale  and  sandstone  strata,  which  dip  45°  east  of  north  at 
an  angle  of  about  40°.  To  the  southward  of  Flag  No.  5,  light-colored 
shales  and  silicious  shales  predominate.  The  abraided  edges  of  these 
shaly  strata  are  worn  off  level  with  the  surface  of  the  ground  and  form 
broad  bands,  which  traverse  the  barren  country,  with  a  strike  of  about 
60°  east  of  south.  In  some  places  slight  flexures  in  these  strata  are 
very  distinctly  marked  on  the  slopes  of  the  bare  hills. 

Extending  in  a  northwesterly  direction  from  Flag  No.  5  are  a  series 
of  springs,  which  yield  sulphuretted  and  saline  water,  and  a  small 
amount  of  heavy  oil.  Two  of  the  principal  springs,  which  yield  sul- 
phuretted water  are  situated  at  Stations  21  and  22,  and  between 
them  are  several  other  seepages  of  mineral  water.  (See  water  analyses 
at  end  of  bulletin.)  These  springs  have  deposited  a  large  amount  of 
tufaceous  matter,  some  of  which  is  calcareous.  The  springs  give  off  a 
large  amount  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen.  In  their  vicinity  there  is  a 
saline  crust  on  the  surface  of  the  ground.  Beneath  this  crust  the  soil 
is  pulverulent,  and  sustains  a  growth  of  bright-green  plants,  which 
flourish  in  the  saline  soil,  and  they  show  a  marked  contrast  to  the 
faded  whity-green  of  the  sagebrush.  Specimens  of  these  plants  were 
examined  in  the  herbarium  of  the  California  Academy  of  Sciences,  and 
found  to  be  Sjnrostachys  occidentalis,  Nitrophila  occidentalis,  and  Dis- 
tichlis  maritima  (salt  grass). 

In  the  hills  which  rise  to  the  northwest  of  these  springs  the  formation 
is  much  obscured  by  alluvium.  In  some  places  light-colored  shales  crop 
oat,  but  the  strata  are  flattened  or  undulating,  and  in  two  places  near 
Flag  No.  7  they  dip  to  the  southward,  as  shown  on  the  sketch-map.  The 
physical  appearance  of  the  shale  forming  these  flattened  strata  is  some- 
what different  from  that  of  the  light-colored  shale  yielding  heavy  oil. 

At  Salt  Marsh  there  are  several  springs  of  sulphuretted  brine,  some  of 
which  deposit  tufa.  The  course  of  the  salt  formation  to  the  westward  is 
marked  by  bright-green  plants  similar  to  those  previously  mentioned. 
At  Salt  Marsh  there  is  an  asphaltum  bed  of  about  five  acres  in  extent 
(see  illustration),  but  it  appears  to  be  a  comparatively  thin  layer.  This 
asphaltum  bed  is  nearly  surrounded  by  low  hills.  Most  of  these  hills 
are  covered  with  alluvium,  but  in  the  principal  hill  there  are  a  few  out- 
cropping ledges  of  light-colored  shale  and  sandstone,  which  show  an  aver- 
age dip  of  about  30°  east  of  north,  at  an  angle  of  about  60°.  From  one  of 
the  sandstone  strata  a  few  specimens  of  very  small  pectens  were  obtained, 
but  they  were  too  imperfect  for  identification.  These  peculiar  features 
of  soil  and  vegetable  growth  are  also  characteristic  of  other  localities  in 
the  oil-bearing  formations  of  the  Coast  Range,  where  the  ground  is  moist- 
ened by  the  waters  of  saline  springs. 

A  few  hundred  yards  to  the  eastward  of  Flag  No.  8  what  appears  to 
be  a  more  recent  formation  than  the  light-colored  shales  has  been  cut 


—  33  — 

through  to  make  a  roadway.  This  formation  consists  of  friable  sand- 
stone and  sandy  shales,  containing  fragments  of  light-colored  silicious 
shale.  The  dip  is  to  the  east  of  north  at  an  angle  of  not  more  than 
30°.  A  short  distance  to  the  northeast  of  Flag  No.  8,  a  well  was  bored 
to  the  depth  of  325  feet.  This  well  yields  a  small  stream  of  sulphu- 
retted brine,  which  is  accompanied  by  inflammable  gas  and  a  small 
amount  of  oil. 

OIL  CLAIMS  EAST  OF  SECTION  28,  T.  11  N.,  R.  23  W.,  S.  B.  M. 

In  the  mesa  lands  and  low  foothills  which  lie  to  the  eastward  of  the 
Oil  Wells,  Group  2,  there  are  several  oil  and  sulphur  claims.  The  w^riter, 
however,  made  only  a  brief  reconnoisance  of  this  portion  of  the  Sunset 
Oil  District,  and  for  the  following  reasons:  (1)  Because  it  w'as  obvious 
that  the  geological  formation  is  so  obscured  jjy  alluvium  and  drift  that 
much  work  might  be  done  and  a  great  deal  of  time  spent  in  vainly 
searching  for  outcropping  rocks.  (2)  Because  very  little  development 
had  been  made  on  these  claims.  (3)  Because  the  geological  formation 
Avas  evidently  similar  to  that  of  the  portion  of  the  Sunset  Oil  District 
herein  described,  w^here  extensive  developments  have  been  made,  and 
where  there  are  rock  exposures  by  which  the  oil-yielding  strata  may  be 
examined. 

The  principal  developments  that  have  been  made  in  this  portion  of 
the  Sunset  Oil  District  are  two  wells  on  the  Texas  claim,  owned  by 
Hambleton  and  others.  One  of  these  wells  is  18  feet  in  depth,  the 
material  passed  through  being  earthy  decomposed  sandstone.  The  man 
who  dug  the  well  says  that  the  strata  of  sandstone  which  he  penetrated 
are  standing  nearly  vertical,  and  that  oil  and  gas  were  blown  through 
crevices  in  the  bottom  of  the  w'ell.  The  other  well  is  situated  about  100 
yards  south  of  the  first,  and  at  a  slightly  higher  elevation.  The  forma- 
tion passed  through  is  sandstone.  This  well  yields  less  oil,  but  more 
water  and  gas  than  the  first  one.  At  the  time  of  the  writer's  visit  these 
wells  were  partly  filled  with  salt  water,  and  with  oil  which  floated  on 
the  surface  of  the  water. 

THE    SULPHUR   DEPOSITS    OF   THE    SUNSET    OIL    DISTRICT. 

Sulphur  appears  to  be  a  concomitant  of  the  oil-bearing  formations,  or 
rather  of  the  more  recent  formations  overlying  them.  The  deposits  of 
sulphur  in  Sunset  Oil  District  and  vicinity  are  found  under  the  follow- 
ing conditions:  (a)  As  drift  cemented  with  sulphur;  (h)  as  irregular 
masses  of  sulphur  in  the  drift;  (c)  as  sulphur  encrusting  or  filling 
fissures  in  the  rocks  which  underlie  the  drift  and  appear  to  rest  uncon- 
formably  on  the  oil-yielding  formations;  (d)  as  sulphurous  earth;  (e)  as 
sulphurous  precipitate  in  the  waters  of  mineral  springs. 

Deposits  of  sulphur  and  sulphurous  rocks  and  eartli  were  observed  at 
the  following  places  in  Sunset  District: 

At  Station  27,  as  previously  mentioned,  there  is  a  series  of  light- 
colored  sandstones,  some  of  which  are  very  silicious  and  brecciated;  they 
are  practically  horizontal,  and  taken  together  show  a  thickness  of  about 
75  feet.  Some  of  the  lower  strata  of  sandstone  are  impregnated  with 
sulphuric  acid  or  acid  sulphur  salts. 

At  Station  27a;,  which  is  situated  about  150  yards  west  of  Station  27, 
3m 


—  34  — 

and  at  a  slightly  greater  elevation,  there  is  an  outcrop  of  white,  brecci- 
ated,  clayey  sandstone.  Beneath  the  sandstone  is  a  black,  earthy,  de- 
composed rock,  containing  sulphur;  this  rock  is  impregnated  with  acid, 
and  has  a  fetid  odor,  which  appears  to  result  from  the  action  of  sul- 
phuric acid  on  bituminous  matter. 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  springs  at  Stations  21  and  22  there  are  acid, 
sulphurous  earths,  some  of  the  latter  being  black  and  having  a  fetid 
odor.  The  waters  of  some  of  these  springs  are  turbid  with  precipitated 
sulphur. 

At  Station  14  there  are  outcroppings  of  a  light-colored  sandstone, 
which  is  very  acid  to  the  taste. 

At  Station  58  the  surface  soil  is  pulverulent,  and  is  apparently  formed 
from  a  decomposed  tufaceous  material,  while  here  and  there  some  unde- 
com posed  fragments  of  the  silicious  rock  protrude.  Associated  with 
the  harder  rocks  is  a  soft,  dark-colored,  sulphurous  formation,  possessing 
a  fetid  odor.  These  sulphurous  deposits  extend  for  some  distance,  and 
have  a  trend  of  80'^  east  of  north. 

At  Station  59  much  sulphur  is  associated  with  partially  decom- 
posed sandstone,  which  has  a  strongly  astringent  taste.  This  rock  is 
interstratified  with  a  darker  colored  rock  of  similar  structure.  The 
whole  deposit  has  the  appearance  of  having  undergone  metamorphism 
from  mineral  springs  or  solfataric  action. 

The  surface  of  the  low  hills  on  which  Station  59  is  situated  shows 
sulphurous  earth  and  sulphurous  rock  throughout  an  area  of  several 
acres.  These  sulphur  deposits  have  been  prospected  by  excavation  to  a 
depth  of  10  or  12  feet,  and  have  been  found  to  consist  of  drift  cemented 
with  sulphur  and  acid  decomposed  rocks  containing  sulphur. 

The  sulphur-bearing  formation  evidently  extends  from  Station  59  to 
Station  60.  At  the  latter  place  an  excavation  shows  a  sulphurous 
deposit  very  similar  to  that  at  Station  59.  At  Station  60  there  is  an 
excavation  which  exposes  a  fissure  varying  from  2  to  6  inches  or  more 
in  width,  and  having  a  direction  of  65°  west  of  north  and  east  of  south. 
The  sides  of  this  fissure  are  lined  with  high-grade  sulphur  ore,  which 
extends  for  a  distance  of  a  foot  or  more  on  both  sides  of  the  fissure.  The 
sulphur  ore  appears  to  be  fine  drift  cemented  with  much  sulphur. 

On  the  eastern  slopes  of  the  low  hills  on  which  the  principal  sulphur 
deposits  are  situated,  are  several  excavations,  about  4  feet  in  depth, 
which  show  rich  sulphur  ore.  These  workings,  which  have  been  made 
in  light-colored  sulphurous  rock  and  earth,  also  expose  fissures  from 
which  "  chimneys  "  of  sulphur  extend  nearly  to  the  surface  of  the  ground. 
A  man  who  dug  some  of  these  holes  states  that  when  the  fissures  were 
first  opened  they  gave  forth  a  strong  flow  of  acid  pungent  gas.  In  these 
excavations  the  air  is  redolent  with  acid  sulphurous  gases,  and  the 
peculiar  fetid  odor  before  mentioned  is  perceptible  in  most  places.  (In 
the  illustration  of  "  sulphur  deposit,"  the  hammer  and  drill  are  placed 
upon  a  chimney  of  sulphur.  The  walls  of  the  excavation  shown  are 
formed  of  sulphurous  earth.) 

A  few  hundred  yards  eastward  from  Station  60  there  is  an  excavation 
about  10  feet  in  depth.  This  has  been  made  all  the  wa}'-  in  high-grade 
sulphur  ore,  interstratified  with  dark-colored  and  acid  sulphurous  earth. 
Lateral  extensions  of  this  excavation  have  been  made  to  the  depth  of  4 
or  5  feet;  in  some  of  them  solid  sulphur  has  been  struck,  and  in  all  the 
earth  is  acid  and  sulphurous.     The  massive  sulphur  exposed  in  this  pit 


—  35  — 

is  of  a  grayish  color,  and  some  lying  on  the  dump  was  coated  with 
lemon-colored  crystals  of  sulphur.  From  this  excavation  a  decomposed 
sulphurous  formation  extends  in  a  northeasterly  direction,  and  prospect 
workings  encountered  an  acid-tasting  sandstone  at  a  depth  of  about  5 
feet.  In  many  places  what  appears  to  be  a  tufaceous  deposit  is  exposed, 
which,  on  weathering,  forms  a  white  silicious  rock.  Still  farther  east- 
ward there  is  a  recent  formation  containing  numerous  small  fragments 
of  light-colored  shale.  In  some  places  these  fragments  form  a  breccia. 
This  superficial  formation  pitches  to  the  southward. 

Deposits  of  sulphur  and  sulphurous  earth,  similar  in  character  to 
those  already  mentioned  but  of  less  extent,  are  exposed  at  intervals  in 
an  easterly  direction  across  the  mesa  lands  between  Stations  60  and  67. 
Thus  a  line  of  sulphurous  deposits  extends  in  an  easterly  direction  for 
more  than  a  mile  between  Stations  59  and  67.  There  are,  as  already 
mentioned,  numerous  springs  in  the  Sunset  Oil  District  which  yield 
sulphuretted  water. 

Since  so  many  have  evinced  an  interest  in  the  history  of  these 
deposits,  a  few  remarks  on  their  probable  genesis  may  not  be  out  of 
place.  If  we  turn  to  our  chemical  text-books,  we  find  that  when  a 
solution  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen  is  exposed  to  the  air  it  soon  becomes 
turbid,  owing  to  the  oxidization  of  the  hydrogen  and  the  consequent 
precipitation  of  the  sulphur,  the  reaction  that  takes  place  being  (2H2S+ 
aq)  +  02=(2H20+aq)  +  S2.  Also, that  if  thechemical  action  is  assisted 
by  the  sulphurous  vapors  or  solutions  l)eing  absorbed  by  porous  solids, 
the  oxidization  is  more  complete,  and  that  the  chemical  reaction  that 
then  takes  place  can  l)e  expressed  by  the  equation:  (H9S-f-aq)+209^ 
HoSO^  +  aq. 

This  view  as  to  the  formation  of  these  sulphur  deposits  is  strength- 
ened by  finding  that  many  of  the  rocks  in  contact  with  the  sulphur  are 
acid  with  free  sulphuric  acid  or  acid  sulphur  salts,  and  that  gypsum 
and  alum  usually  accompany  the  sulphur. 

With  regard  to  the  primordial  source  of  the  sulphuretted  hydrogen, 
the  probability  is  that  it  originated  in  the  decomposition  of  the  tissues 
of  organisms,  the  carbonaceous  constituents  of  which  composed  the  petro- 
leum and  the  hydrocarbon  gases  found  in  the  Sunset  Oil  District.  It 
is  probable  that  such  was  the  origin  of  the  sulphur  deposit  referred  to, 
and  that  the  fissures  through  which  the  sulphur  gases  rise  in  the  territory 
under  discussion,  allow  the  escape  of  such  gases  from  the  stratified  rocks 
in  which  they  were  formed  by  chemical  processes;  not,  as  popularly 
supposed,  that  the  fissures  conduct  the  sulphurous  gases  from  a  volcanic 
source. 

There  are  other  deposits  of  sulphur  and  sulphurous  earth  in  the 
southeastern  borders  of  the  Sunset  Oil  District,  but  they  present  similar 
characteristics  to  those  already  described. 

GYPSUM. 

The  principal  deposit  of  gypsum  in  the  Sunset  Oil  District  is  situated 
in  its  southeastern  borders.  The  gypsum  forms  a  stratum  of  ratlier  soft, 
chalky-looking  rock,  which  in  some  places  attains  a  thickness  of  several 
feet.  Much  impure  gypsum  is  also  found  at  and  near  the  sulphur 
deposits  previously  described.  A  ravine,  which  is  situated  immediately 
to  the  east  and  southeast  of  Oil  Wells,  Group  2,  cuts  through  a  liank  of 


—  Se- 
this material  to  the  depth  of  about  30  feet.  This  bank  is  composed  of 
sedimentary  strata,  which  appear  to  have  been  metamorphosed  by  the 
waters  of  mineral  springs.  The  exposed  rocks  have  the  appearance  of  a 
friable  white  sandstone,  containing  much  gypsum  and  kaolinized  mat- 
ter. In  some  places  there  are  streaks  and  pockets  of  nearly  pure  kaolin 
and  small  masses  of  pure  gypsum. 

MINERAL    WATER. 

[See  analyses  of  water  at  the  end  of  this  bulletin.] 

REMARKS    ON   THE    SUNSET    OIL    DISTRICT. 

A  review  of  the  foregoing  description  of  this  territory,  when  taken  in 
conjunction  with  investigations  made  in  the  oil  district  9  miles  north 
of  Coalinga,  in  Fresno  County,  leads  to  the  conclusion  that  there  are 
two  oil-yielding  formations  in  the  Sunset  Oil  District;  but  the  paucity 
of  palfeontological  evidence  in  this  territory  demands  that  such  a 
conclusion  be  accepted  tentatively.  The  most  recent  of  formations, 
geologically  speaking,  consists  principally  of  light-colored  silicious 
shales,  which  practically  compose  the  first  tier  of  foothills.  A  line 
drawn  across  the  sketch-map,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  pass  through  the 
principal  oil  springs  and  asphaltum  beds,  shows  that  these  oil  seepages 
and  asphaltum  deposits  are  distributed  along  a  line  which  corresponds 
very  nearly  with  the  prevailing  trend  of  the  light-colored  shales,  i.  e., 
about  70°  east  of  south.  It  is  also  to  be  noticed  that  the  different 
places  where  such  oil  springs  and  asphaltum  beds  are  found  in  this 
formation  have  nearly  the  same  altitude.  These  facts  suggest  that  the 
principal  oil-bearing  strata  are  situated  near  the  northern  limit  of 
the  light-colored  shales  which  are  exposed  at  the  Sunset  Oil  District, 
although  it  by  no  means  necessarily  follows  that  the  rest  of  that  forma- 
tion is  barren.  The  slight  deviation  of  such  oil  seepages  from  a  line 
coinciding  with  the  prevailing  strike  of  the  formation  is  fully  accounted 
for  by  local  disturbances  of  the  strata  at  many  places  in  the  territory 
under  discussion. 

The  occurrence  of  these  oil  springs  may  be  referred  to  two  causes:  (1) 
The  cutting  through  of  oil-yielding  strata  by  erosion.  In  this  connection 
the  fact  is  recalled  that  many  of  the  oil  springs  and  beds  of  asphaltum 
are  situated  where  caiions  cut  through  the  formation  nearly  at  right 
angles  to  its  strike.  (2)  In  some  instances  the  immediate  cause  of  the 
oil  springs  may  be  referred  to  fracture  of  oil-bearing  strata,  by  which 
means  fissures  are  formed,  which  extend  to  the  surface  of  the  earth.  As 
heretofore  described,  such  fissures  can  be  seen  at  the  sulphur  deposits  in 
the  mesa  lands  of  the  district. 

The  wells  marked  Oil  Wells,  Group  1,  show  what  might  be  expected 
from  wells  penetrating  the  oil-yielding  formations  in  the  light-colored 
shales;  and  we  should  naturally  expect  that  wells  piercing  the  oil-yield- 
ing strata  where  there  are  no  seepages  of  oil  would  yield  better  results 
than  wells  situated  in  localities  where  seepage  has  for  ages  been  exhaust- 
ing the  contiguous  oil-bearing  rocks.  That  which  is  here  assumed  to  be 
the  second  oil-yielding  formation,  immediately  underlies  the  light-colored 
shales. 

The  wells  marked  on  the  sketch-map  as  Oil  Wells,  Group  2,  appear  to 


—  37  — 

have  been  bored  to  prospect  this  formation.  As  previously  mentioned, 
this  lower  formation  is  characterized  by  two  things;  namely,  the  absence 
of  the  peculiar  light-colored  shales  such  as  compose  the  formation  lying 
next  in  the  order  of  upward  vertical  range,  and  the  presence  of  dark- 
colored,  argillaceous,  earthy  or  sandy  shales,  which  resemble  certain 
shales  found  beneath  the  light-colored  shales  in  the  oil  district  nine 
miles  north  of  Coalinga.  These  argillaceous,  earthy  shales  can  be  seen 
near  Station  52,  where  sulphuretted  brine,  accompanied  by  a  little 
dark-green  oil,  issues  from  a  soft  sandstone.  At  Stations  49  and  49a 
there  are  also  springs  of  sulphuretted  and  saline  water,  and  earthy  and 
sandy  shales  are  exposed.  Dark-colored  shales  can  also  be  seen  in  the 
bed  of  the  Cienega  Creek,  between  Stations  32  and  33.  If  we  journey 
in  a  southeasterly  direction  from  the  points  named  (which,  notwith- 
standing much  contortion  of  strata,  appears  to  be  the  prevailing  strike 
of  this  lower  formation),  we  shall  come  out  on  the  mesa  lands  in  the 
vicinity  of  "Oil  Wells,  Group  2."  Unfortunately,  the  heavy  mantle  of 
alluvium  with  which  the  hills  are  covered,  and  the  disturbed  character 
of  this  lower  formation,  prevent  one  from  being  able  to  speak  with  any 
degree  of  confidence  concerning  the  stratigraphical  position  of  the  rocks 
penetrated  by  these  wells.  The  writer  searched  diligently  for  geological 
evidence  which  would  throw  light  on  this  subject,  but  the  results  are 
meager.  Neither  do  the  records  of  the  strata  penetrated  during  the 
process  of  boring  "Oil  Wells,  Group  2,"  nor  the  character  of  the  oil 
yielded  by  these  wells  when  they  were  completed,  solve  this  problem. 

As  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  the  table  of  oil  analyses  at  the  end  of 
this  bulletin,  the  oils  yielded  by  Wells  Nos.  1,  2,  and  3,  both  in  their 
specific  gravity  and  the  character  of  their  distillation  products,  resemble 
the  samples  of  oil  obtained  from  Tertiary  strata,  rather  than  the  sample 
obtained  from  the  Cretaceous  formation  at  Coalinga.  Moreover,  what- 
ever evidence  might  be  deduced  by  a  comparison  of  the  oil  yielded  by 
"Oil  Wells,  Group 2,"  with  oil  obtained  from  strata  of  known  geological 
age,  is  vitiated  by  the  existence  of  such  fissures  as  those  found  in  the 
sulphur  deposits  of  the  Sunset  Oil  District.  These  rifts  may  penetrate 
formations  of  more  than  one  geologic  age,  and  occasion  a  blending  of 
such  oils  as  the  strata  contain.  Moreover,  deep-seated  fissures  are  quite 
likely  to  induce  an  unusual  oxidization  of  the  hydrocarbons  contained 
in  the  fractured  rocks. 

It  is  possible  that  a  careful  geological  examination  commenced  at 
Mud  Creek,  and  extended  in  a  northwesterly  direction,  might  tell  some- 
thing about  the  geologic  age  of  the  bench  of  sandstone  in  which  "  Oil 
Wells,  Group  2,"  are  bored.  The  brief  reconnoisance  in  the  vicinity  of 
Mud  Creek  suggests  that  the  Tertiary  sandstones  overlying  the  light- 
colored  shales  extend  farther  to  the  westward  in  that  locality  than  they 
were  observed  to  do  in  the  Sunset  District.  Moreover,  the  heavy  deposit 
of  impure  gj^psum  seen  to  the  south  of  tlie  Sunset  Oil  District  resembles 
similar  deposits  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  Avhicli 
were  probably  formed  during  the  Pliocene  age. 

The  greatest  drawback  to  a  successful  prosecution  of  the  oil  business 
in  the  Sunset  District  appears  to  be  the  large  amount  of  water  which 
accompanies  the  oil.  In  this  connection,  the  fact  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  the  Sunset  Oil  Wells  are  bored  at  an  altitude  of  something 
less  than  1,000  feet,  and  that  the  maximum  altitude  of  the  anticlinal 
prospected    by  them  does  not  exceed    2,000   feet.     It  is  probable  that 


—  38  — 

there  are  portions  of  the  Coast  Range  adjoining  the  Sunset  District, 
where  the  oil-bearing  formations  extend  to  a  much  higher  altitude  than 
the  anticlinal  which  has  hitherto  been  prospected  by  boring;  and  that 
there  may  be  extensive  oil-bearing  territory  on  the  northeastern  slope 
of  the  Coast  Range,  where  no  difficulty  would  be  experienced  from  water. 
A  partial  analysis  of  the  water  obtained  from  Wells  Nos.  2  and  3,  Group 
2,  is  given  at  the  end  of  this  bulletin. 

THE    SAN    EMIDIO    GRANT. 

A  hasty  visit  was  paid  to  Muddy  Creek  and  the  San  P^midio  Grant. 
At  the  former  place  the  formation  is  principally  sandstone,  and  many 
fragments  of  gypsum  are  scattered  on  the  slope  of  the  hills.  A  spring 
of  strong  sulphur  water  is  situated  on  the  southern  bank  of  the  creek. 
The  surface  of  the  water  in  this  spring  is  covered  with  sulphur,  and  the 
air  is  redolent  with  sulphuretted  hydrogen.  The  taste  of  the  water  is 
nauseating  in  the  extreme,  and  is  said  to  act  with  severity  on  the  bowels. 

At  the  San  Emidio  Grant  the  writer  followed  the  outcrop  of  a  thin 
stratum  of  fossiliferous  limestone  from  Muddy  Creek  in  a  southwesterly 
direction,  and  obtained  several  fossils,  which  were  submitted  to  Dr.  J.  G. 
Cooper  for  examination,  who  classified  them  as  follows: 

Fossils  Collected  on  San  Emidio  Grant  hetween  the  Muddy  and  Lobos  Creeks. 

Crassatella  collina,  Con Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Glycimeris  generosa,  Gould Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Macoma  secta,Con .Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene. 

Neverita  recluziana,  Pet Living,  (Quaternary,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Dosinia  matheu'soni,  Gabb Miocene. 

Macoma,  n.  sp - .- -.-.' 

Tapes  staleyi,  Gabb _ - Pliocene. 

Tapes,  n.  sp.  .. 

Cryptomya  californica,  Gabb Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

At  Lobos  Creek,  on  the  San  Emidio  Grant,  was  observed  a  stratum  of 
shells  about  2  feet  in  thickness,  and  it  appeared  to  be  composed  entirely 
of  Crassatella  collina.  The  formation  dipped  to  the  east  of  north,  and 
at  an  angle  of  about  70°.  The  fossiliferous  stratum  rested  on  a  light- 
colored  shale,  which  was  exposed  higher  up  the  creek.  A  large  amount 
of  bituminous  matter  had  issued  from  the  shale,  accumulated  in  the 
creek,  and,  flowing  down  the  creek-bed,  had  formed  a  layer  of  brea  over- 
lying the  shelly  stratum. 

NATURAL  GAS  AND  FOSSILIFEROUS  FORMATIONS    ON    THE  EASTERN  SIDE  OF  THE 

SAN  JOAQUIN  VALLEY. 

The  wagon  road  from  Sumner  to  the  Rio  Bravo  ranch  traverses  a 
series  of  alluvial  bluffs,  which  form  the  first  bench  of  the  eastern  foot- 
hills. These  foothills,  where  the  Kern  River  enters  the  valley,  are 
formed  for  the  most  part  of  soft  Tertiary  strata,  which  abut  the  granitic 
rocks  of  the  Greenhorn  Mountains.  The  Tertiary  formation  here  is 
mainly  friable  sandstone,  traversed  by  a  few  thin  strata  of  sandy  lime- 
stones and  fossiliferous  rock.  The  characteristic  features  of  the  forma- 
tion are  a  large  amount  of  quicksand  and  some  beds  of  impure  gypsum. 
In  many  of  the  bluffs  beds  of  cobblestones  and  bowlders  are  exposed. 
From  a  bluff  on  the  west  side  of  Kern  River,  about  2  miles  down  the 


—  39  — 

stream  from  the  Rio  Bravo  ranch,  is  found  a  ledge  of  fossiliferous  sand- 
stone. On  the  south  line  of  Kern  River,  a  few  miles  eastward  from 
the  Rio  Bravo  ranch,  near  the  contact  of  the  Tertiary  and  the  granitic 
rocks,  several  thin  fossiliferous  strata  were  noted.  The  surface  of  the 
hills  is  in  some  places  covered  with  impure  gypsum.  From  the  top  of 
what  is  locally  known  as  Pyramid  Mountain,  at  an  elevation  of  2,800 
feet,  is  an  extended  view  showing  the  line  of  contact  between  the  granite 
and  the  sedimentary  strata,  the  eastern  margin  of  the  latter  being  in 
places  strewn  with  fragments  of  granite,  which  protrudes  here  and  there 
through  the  softer  formations.  To  the  west  and  south  nothing  but  sedi- 
mentary formations  appear  to  be  in  sight.  Near  the  top  of  Pyramid 
Mountain  a  ledge  of  fossiliferous  rock  crops  out.  This  ledge  also  forms 
the  summit  of  a  neighboring  elevation  farther  eastward,  which  is  about 
150  feet  lower  than  Pyramid  Mountain.  Both  these  eminences  are 
situated  on  the  divide  between  Poso  Creek  and  Kern  River. 

In  1S91,  Mr.  J.  Barker,  who  resided  at  the  Rio  Bravo  ranch,  discovered 
natural  gas  in  a  spring  on  his  property  in  the  center  of  Sec.  5,  T.  29  S., 
R.  29  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  and  he  erected  a  small  receiver  in  order  to  utilize 
the  gas  for  illuminating  purposes.  He  bored  a  10-inch  well  about  300 
yards  east  of  the  above-mentioned  spring,  which  is  situated  on  the  south 
bank  of  the  river,  and  probably  15  feet  above  the  water's  edge.  The 
formation  penetrated  is  a  fossiliferous  clayey  sand.  At  a  depth  of  26 
feet  a  flow  of  8  miner's  inches  of  mineral  water,  and  some  gas,  was 
obtained.  The  temperature  of  the  water  was  found  to  be  80°  Fahr. 
The  well  was  continued  through  a  similar  formation  to  a  depth  of  48 
feet.  Casing  was  then  pushed  down,  and  the  water  to  the  depth  of  26 
feet  was  shut  off.  When  this  was  done,  the  gas  and  water  forced  their 
way  up  outside  of  the  casing.  A  stream  of  not  less  than  2  miner's 
inches  then  flowed  from  the  casing,  and  the  well  yielded  a  greater  vol- 
ume of  gas  than  the  spring  in  which  the  gas  was  first  observed.  At  a 
depth  of  48  feet  a  stratum  of  limestone  was  struck,  a  fragment  of  which 
contained  a  good  specimen  of  Solen  rosaceus  of  unusually  large  size. 
A  partial  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well,  made  by  Prof.  E.  W. 
Hilgard,  was  as  follows: 

Grains  to  the  gallon. 

.Sodium  and  potassium  sulphate  (Na,S04  and  K,S04) -- - 22.99 

Common  salt  (Sodium  chloride)  (NaCl) .' -.  .- 197.00 

Sodium  carbonate  (NaaCOj) --. 22.52 

Calcium  and  magnesium  sulphate  (CaS04  and  MgS04)--- 5.55 

Silica  (SiOo) 5.21 

Total 253.27 

The  following  fossils  were  obtained  by  the  writer  from  the  Tertiary 
formation  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Rio  Bravo  ranch,  and  they  were  after- 
wards submitted  to  Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper  for  classification: 

From  Bluff  on  North  Side  of  Kern  River  about  Two  Miles  down  the  Stream  from  Rio  Bravo 

Ranch. 

Conns  californicus,  Hinds Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene. 

yererlta  callnsa,  Gabb Miocene. 

l>osinia  matheirsoni,  Gabb. Miocene. 

Pecten  discus,  Con ..Miocene. 

Cerithium,  n.  sp 

Tapes  stalejfi,  (Jabb Pliocene. 

Axinina  patuln,  Con Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Caticellaria,  n.  sp 

Lnnatia  leirisi,  (Jould. Living,  Quaternarj',  Pliocene. 

Xnssa  caiifornica,  Con 


—  40  — 

Meretrix  tularana,  Con Miocene. 

Solen  rosaceus,  Cpr Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Teeth  of  Oxyrhina  tumula,  Agassiz 

Teeth  of  Oxyrhina  plana,  Agassiz 

Vertebra*  of  some  reptile's  tail  bones 

From  Ravine  near  the  Contact  of  the  Granite  and  Tertiary  Formation. 

Tellina  ocoyana,  Con Miocene. 

Dentalinin,  n.  sp 

Myorella,  n.  sp 

Neverita  callosa,  Gabb.. Miocene. 

Area  microdonta,  Con _ Pliocene,  Miocene. 

From  various  places  on  the  South  Side  of  Kern  River  on  the  Barker  Ranch. 

Solen  rosaceus,  Cpr. ..Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Tooth  of  Oxyrhina  plana,  Agassiz 

Cypricardia  (.^),  n.  sp 

Agasoma  (?), n.  sp 

Area  microdonta,  Con Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Neverita  callosa,  Gabb Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Tellina  ocoyona,  Con.. .' Miocene. 

Yoldia  impressa,  Con.. Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Acila,  n.sp 

Leda,  n.  sp 

From  North  Side  of  the  Kern  River  on  the  Barker  Ranch. 

Pinna  alamedensis,  Yates Miocene. 

From  Pyramid  Mountain,  about  Five  Miles  North  of  the  Rio  Bravo  Ranch. 

Dentalium,  n.  sp. 

Axinira  patula.  Con Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Pecten  discus,  Con Miocene. 

Chione  pertenuis,  Gabb Miocene. 

Crepidula  grandis,  Midd Quaternary,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

From  Bhiff  near  Pyramid  Mountain. 
Ostrea  heermanni.  Con Pliocene. 

The  specimens  of  marine  mollusca  collected  by  the  writer  near  Kern 
River  and  at  the  San  Emidio  ranch,  when  classified  by  Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper, 
were  found  to  represent  the  following  palseontological  periods: 

Thirty-three  Species  from  Eastern  Side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  near  Kern  River. 

No.  of  Species. 

Miocene 10] 

Miocene,  Pliocene ^  [  iq  Ar-r.^o 

Quaternarj^  Pliocene,  Miocene 1  j  ^^ -^^locene. 

Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene,  Miocene 4J 

Pliocene 2>     =  pii„„p,,p 

Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene .3)    ^^  ^^locene. 

N.  sp 9 

Nine  Species  from  San  Emidio  Ranch  on  the  Western  Side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley. 

No.  of  Species. 
Miocene 1  i 

Pliocene,  Miocene ij-  5  Miocene. 

Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene,  Miocene 3) 

Pliocene 1/    o  piinrpne 

Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene.. 1\   -  ^^locene. 

N.  sp 2 

Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper  says:  "It  should  be  remarked  that  the  proportions 
of  species  here  given  as  extending  downward  to  the  Pliocene  or  Miocene 
strata  are  based  on  what  was  hitherto  known  of  their  vertical  ranges, 
and  cannot  be  always  considered  decisive,  especially  when  only  a  few 
species  are  given.  Late  explorations  tend  to  show  that  they  are  not 
always   separable  in   California,  and  they  have  therefore  been   lately 


—   41   — 

combined  under  the  name  of  Neocene.  There  is,  however,  good  evidence, 
obtainable  from  large  numbers  of  species,  to  show  the  relative  age  of 
the  Tertiary  strata,  and  good  ones  can  always  be  separated  from  the 
Cretaceous  or  Eocene,  here  called  Cret.  B." 

There  are  other  places  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley, 
in  Kern  County,  where  natural  gas  has  been  found,  notably  in  T.  29  S., 
R.  28  E.,  M.  D.  M.;  and  in  the  township  named  bituminous  sandstone 
is  exposed  on  the  northern  bank  of  Kern  River.  For  further  description 
of  these  localities  the  reader  is  referred  to  our  Vllth  Report,  p.  67. 

THE    BUENA    VISTA    OIL    AND    ASPHALTUM    DISTRICT. 

The  Buena  Vista  Oil  and  Asphaltum  District  is  situated  about  26 
miles  in  a  northwesterly  direction  from  the  Sunset  Oil  Wells.  The 
Buena  Vista  oil  territory  comprises  oil  claims  which  are  owned  by  the 
Standard  Asphalt  Company,  the  Buena  Vista  Oil  Company,  and  others. 

The  Standard  Asphalt  Comj)any. — The  Standard  Asphalt  Company 
was  incorporated  in  Bakersfield  in  1892.  This  company  has  leased  cer- 
tain oil  and  asphaltum  claims  belonging  to  the  Union  Land  and  Oil 
Company  of  Georgia,  the  Columbian  Oil  Company,  and  J.  Quirolo.  The 
territory  thus  leased  comprises  about  1,480  acres  in  T.  30  S.,  R.  22 
E.;  also,  160  acres  in  T.  30  S.,  R.  21  E.,  and  240  acres  in  T.  31  S.,  R.  22 
E.,  M.  D.  M.  The  company  has  also  located  thirty-seven  or  more  oil 
and  asphaltum  claims  in  the  vicinity  of  Asphalto.  The  territory  leased 
by  this  company  and  the  claims  located  by  them  are  all  situated  within 
a  radius  of  about  4  miles  from  the  western  terminus  of  the  branch  line 
of  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  between  Bakersfield  and  Asphalto. 
The  property  of  the  company  at  Asphalto  consists  of  the  oil  and 
asphaltum  claims  located  by  them,  the  lease  above  mentioned,  a  plant 
for  refining  asphaltum,  which  is  furnished  with  twenty-one  kettles;  also 
a  boarding-house  capable  of  accommodating  about  forty  men,  and  a 
store-house  of  four  rooms.    The  railroad  track  extends  to  the  refinery. 

TJie  Buena  Vista  Company. — The  property  of  this  company  consists  of 
about  720  acres,  in  addition  to  territory  leased  from  them  by  the  Stand- 
ard Asphalt  Company,  all  in  T.  30  S.,  R.  22  E.,  M.  D.  M.  In  May,  1893, 
the  improvements  of  the  Buena  Vista  Oil  Company  consisted  of  a  board- 
ing-house capable  of  accommodating  al)Out  20  men;  an  oil  well  410  feet 
deep;  another  92  feet  deep;  two  dry  wells,  one  of  which  is  204  and  the 
other  202  feet  deep.  All  these  wells  were  bored  by  E.  Rowe,  of  Stockton, 
in  1892.  At  one  time  22  barrels  of  oil  were  daily  pumped  from  the 
deepest  well.  In  this  well  oil  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  392  feet,  but  it  is 
said  to  have  been  shut  off  when  the  casing  was  lowered  to  a  greater 
depth.  This  well  was  drilled  "snug"  to  the  casing,  leaving  the  casing 
to  cut  its  way  for  about  half  an  inch.  The  w^ell  is  cased  with  5|-inch 
casing,  consisting  of  |-inch  screw  pipe.  The  formation  penetrated  is 
said  to  be  sand.  The  writer  was  informed  that  23  feet  of  asphaltum 
was  bored  through  at  a  depth  of  345  feet.  The  92-foot  well  was  sunk 
in  July,  1892.  This  is  an  8-inch  well,  and  is  cased  with  No.  16  iron, 
single  casing.  This  well  yields  three  barrels  of  oil  daily  by  baling. 
(See  table  of  oil  analyses  at  the  end  of  this  bulletin.)  The  Buena  Vista 
Company  store  their  oil  in  a  250-barrel  tank.  There  are  also  some 
smaller  tanks  on  the  property  of  this  company.    A  record  of  wells  which 


—  42  — 

were  bored  in  this  district  prior  to  those  herein  mentioned  will  be  found 
by  referring  to  our  Vllth  Report. 

Topography  of  the  Buena  Vista  Oil  District. — Tlie  oil  claims  of  the 
Standard  Asphalt  Company  and  the  Union  Oil  Company  commence  on 
the  northern  side  of  the  railroad  at  Asphalto.  From  the  railroad  the 
ground  slopes  in  a  northerly  direction  toward  a  tier  of  low  rolling  hills, 
which  stretch  out  into  the  San  Joaquin  Valley.  Between  the  railroad 
and  the  rolling  hills  several  prospect  holes  have  been  sunk  in  the  drift  to 
a  depth  of  from  8  to  12  feet.  Some  of  these  holes  show  pulverulent,  car- 
bonaceous material,  which  is  no  doubt  decomposed  asphaltum.  In  a  few 
of  the  holes  asphaltum  has  been  struck  which  is  similar  in  appearance  to 
that  composing  the  extensive  asphaltum  beds  lying  to  the  south  of  the 
railroad  track,  as  hereinafter  described.  The  hills  to  the  north  of  the 
railroad  track  are  covered  wdth  alluvium,  and  no  rocky  strata  are  ex- 
posed. In  one  of  the  ravines  which  cut  through  these  hills  there  are 
exudations  of  asphaltum  of  limited  extent. 

The  asphaltum  beds  leased  by  the  Standard  Asphalt  Company  and 
those  owned  by  the  Buena  Vista  Company  extend  up  the  hillside  in  a 
southerly  direction  from  the  railroad  track;  amid  these  asphaltum  beds 
there  are  seepages  of  heavy  oil,  which  collects  in  shallow  pits  that  have 
been  dug  in  the  asphaltum  for  that  purpose.  The  tier  of  hills  on  which 
the  asphaltum  beefs  are  situated  are  the  foothills  of  the  main  chain  of 
the  Coast  Range  lying  to  the  south  of  Asphalto.  These  hills  are  for  the 
most  part  covered  with  alluvial  soil,  which  sustains  a  scantj''  herbage 
during  the  spring;  but  in  many  places  there  is  an  abundant  growth  of 
greasewood  and  sagebrush.  Although  many  plants  grow  in  a  mixture 
of  asphaltum  and  sand,  the  Eriogonum  inflatum  appears  to  be  the  only 
one  which  flourishes  while  its  roots  actually  penetrate  the  asphaltum. 

Rocky  Formations  of  Buena  Vista  Oil  and  Asphaltum  District. — The 
iormation  most  extensively  exposed  in  this  district  consists  principally 
■of  light-colored  silicious  shales,  similar  to  those  seen  in  the  Sunset  Oil 
District.  The  outcropping  rocks,  w^hich  represent  the  formations  rest- 
ing on  the  light-colored  shales,  are  scanty  and  irregular;  they  consist 
mainly  of  a  peculiar,  porous,  silicious  rock  of  low"  specific  gravity, 
bituminous  sandstones,  silicified  sandstones,  and  clayey  and  sandy 
strata.  The  porous  silicious  rock  contains  marine  diatoms.  In  some 
places  these  infusorial  rocks  are  impregnated  with  bitumen,  and  in 
other  places  wdth  salt,  the  exposed  surface  being  frequently  found  to  be 
whitened,  apparently  by  the  action  of  the  weather.  These  diatomace- 
ous  rocks,  like  the  light-colored  shales  on  which  they  rest,  contain  a 
large  amount  of  silica.  Samples  of  these  silicious  rocks  examined 
showed  as  follows: 


Description  of  Specimen. 


Percentage 
Insoluble 
in  Acid. 


Percentage 
of  Silica 

Contained 
in  Speci- 
men. 


Percentage 
of  Silica 

Soluble  in 
Sodium 

Carbonate. 


Light-colored  shale  from  Asphalto                            .  . 

97.7 
78.0 

62.0 

92.0  ■ 
98:0 

f  c 

60.0 

17.5 

Porous,  bituminous  rock,  containing  diatoms 

Diatomaceous  rocks  impregnated  with  salt  (after 
ignition,  37  per  cent  of  this  specimen  was  soluble 
in  water) 

39.0 
20.0 

—  43  — 

In  these  estimations  small  fractions  are  disregarded.  A  good  expos- 
ure of  these  saline  rocks  can  be  seen  in  the  northwest  corner  of  Section 
DO,  where  a  canon  extends  in  a  northeast  and  southwest  direction.  In 
this  canon  a  crust  forms  on  the  surface  of  the  saline  rocks,  and  this 
crust  appears  to  be  composed  principally  of  salt  (NaCl).  A  short  dis- 
tance from  the  outcrop  of  the  saline  rock  the  side  of  the  cafion  is  formed 
of  decomposed  soft  sandstone,  but  no  rock-exposures  are  to  be  seen  which 
throw  much  light  on  the  relation  of  the  sandy  and  clayey  formations. 
The  loose  sandy  surface  is  in  some  places  strewn  with  quartzose  pebbles, 
fragments  of  silicious  rock,  and  a  few  marine  shells.  These  shells  were 
examined  by  Dr.  Cooper,  who  determined  them  to  be: 

I'ecten  deserti,  Con Pliocene. 

Ostrea  attwoodi,  Gabb. -. Pliocene. 

About  half  a  mile  from  Asphalto  by  trail,  and  much  less  in  a  straight 
line,  there  is  a  spring  of  warm  mineral  water  (see  table  of  water 
analyses)  which  3delds  inflammable  gas  and  a  little  oil.  The  gas  smells 
strongly  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen.  A  short  distance  eastward  from 
tlie  spring  there  is  an  outcrop  of  bituminous  sandstone,  which  is  much 
eroded  and  weatherworn.  The  greater  portion  of  the  hills  in  this 
vicinity  is  covered  with  what  appears  to  be  decomposed  sandstones, 
through  which  the  winter  rains  have  cut  deep  ravines.  In  many  places 
there  are  seepages  of  bituminous  matter  and  outcropping  ledges  of 
asphaltum.  In  Section  27,  as  hereinafter  described,  the  exposed  forma- 
tion is  traversed  by  numerous  veins  of  pure  asphaltum.  To  the  north- 
west of  the  boarding-house  of  the  Buena  Vista  Oil  Company,  asphaltum 
has  flowed  down  the  hillside,  but  it  is  so  eroded  and  weatherworn  that  it 
appears  like  the  ruins  of  a  lava  stream.  A  few  outcropping  rocks  of 
coarse  sandstone  show  a  strike  of  west  of  north  by  east  of  south;  their 
dip  is  indeterminable,  but  they  evidently  stand  at  a  great  angle.  A 
short  distance  farther  westward,  light-colored  porous  rocks  make  their 
appearance.  Following  the  strike  of  the  formation,  the  character  of  the 
debris  covering  the  hills  and  an  occasional  outcropping  ledge  of  rock 
evidence  the  proximity  of  the  sandstone  and  the  porous  diatomaceous 
rocks.  The  sandstones  are  frequently  oil-soaked,  and  seepages  of  maltha 
can  be  seen  in  almost  every  canon.  These  features  warrant  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  source  of  the  oil  and  maltha  is  at  or  near  the  contact  of 
the  sandstone  and  the  light-colored  porous  rocks.  In  one  place  a  coarse 
sandstone  and  fine  conglomerate  can  be  seen  in  contact  with  the  light- 
colored  porous  rock.     The  strike  is  east  of  south  by  north  of  west. 

About  li  miles  west  of  Asphalto,  in  the  northwestern  portion  of  Sec- 
tion 20,  there  is  an  escarpment  of  light-colored  sedimentary  strata,  some 
of  which  are  Intuminous.  This  escarpment  rises  abruptly  for  about  100 
feet;  the  dip  of  the  strata  appears  to  be  east  of  south  and  at  an  angle 
of  about  25*^.  Some  of  these  strata  are  interspersed  with  fragments  of 
silicious  shale,  which  resembles  the  silicious  shale  seen  farther  to  the 
westward.  It  appears,  therefore,  that-  the  whole  cliff  is  of  more  recent 
formation  than  are  the  light-colored  silicious  shales.  At  the  base  of  the 
cliff  a  vein  of  very  pure  asphaltum  is  exposed.  To  the  southward  of  the 
strata  forming  this  cliff,  porous  silicious  shales  are  seen,  but  as  investi- 
gation is  made  in  a  southerly  direction  across  the  strike  of  the  formation, 
light-colored  shales  are  found  to  lose  their  porous  character,  and  appear 
to  be  indurated  with  silica. 


—  44  — 

The  average  strike  of  these  silicious  shales  is  N.W.W.  by  S.E.E. 
No  exposures  Avere  found  where  the  dip  could  be  determined  in  a  satis- 
factory manner,  but  the  formation  evidently  stands  at  a  great  angle. 
In  a  few  places  there  are  weatherworn  masses  of  impure  limestone,  but 
they  do  not  appear  to  be  in  place.  Still  farther  to  the  southward  the 
light-colored  shale  is  covered  with  alluvial  soil,  which  affords  excellent 
pasture  during  the  spring.  These  rolling  grazing  lands  extend  to  the 
Santa  Maria  Mountains,  as  the  dominant  ridge  of  this  portion  of  the 
Coast  Range  is  called.  These  mountains  appear  to  be  composed  of  meta- 
morphosed sedimentary  strata;  at  least,  the  writer  saw  no  other  rock 
exposed  at  the  point  where  he  ascended  the  divide,  and  one  specimen 
obtained  from  this  locality  was  bituminovis.  The  dip  of  this  formation 
is  a  little  east  of  south,  and  at  an  angle  of  25°. 

THE    SUPERFICIAL    ASPHALTUM    BEDS   AT    ASPHALTO. 

The  asphaltum  deposits  at  Asphalto  are  found  under  two  conditions: 
First,  as  superficial  beds  of  impure  asphaltum;  secondly,  as  veins  of 
asphaltum  in  the  country  rock. 

As  before  mentioned,  the  superficial  beds  are  situated  to  the  south  of 
the  railroad  track  at  Asphalto.  The  first  bed  examined  covers  an  area 
of  probably  seven  acres,  and  extends  from  the  store  of  the  Standard 
Asphalt  Company  to  the  white  heap  at  the  northern  base  of  the  hill, 
seen  in  the  accompanying  photograph.  The  asphaltum  rests  partly  on 
sandy  and  clayey  drift,  and  partly  on  a  white  calcareous  sand,  which 
has  been  struck  in  some  pits  that  have  been  sunk  through  the  asphaltum 
to  a  depth  of  about  12  feet.  This  bed  of  asphaltum  constitutes  the 
northern  portion  of  a  much  larger  bed,  the  southern  portion  of  which 
was  still  reserved  by  the  Buena  Vista  Oil  Company  in  May,  1893. 
From  the  asphaltum  bed  which  has  been  leased  by  the  Standard 
Asphalt  Company,  large  quantities  of  crude  asphaltum  have  evidently 
been  removed.  The  crude  asphaltum  varies  in  quality;  some  of  it  is 
brownish  in  color,  and  resembles  ironite;  it  is  frequently  pulverulent 
and  more  or  less  mixed  with  earthy  matter.  The  best  asphaltum  in 
these  superficial  beds  lies  near  the  surface;  in  some  places  it  forms  a 
stratum  varying  in  thickness  from  a  few  inches  to  about  two  feet  or 
more.  This  stratum  principally  consists  of  a  dull-black,  compact 
asphaltum,  but  some  of  it  possesses  a  pitch-like  luster,  and  here  and 
there  it  is  rendered  viscous  by  fluid  petroleum. 

About  200  paces  south  of  their  store,  the  Standard  Asphalt  Company 
have  dug  a  trench  across  the  asphaltum  bed  leased  from  the  Buena 
Vista  Oil  Company.  This  trench,  which  is  a  little  more  than  100  yards 
in  length,  has  been  dug  to  the  depth  of  from  6  to  12  feet,  in  order  to  test 
the  thickness  and  quality  of  the  asphaltum.  This  prospect  work  has 
shown  that  the  best  asphaltum  is  near  the  surface,  where  it  varies  from 
6  inches  to  2  feet  in  thickness.  Beneath  this  upper  stratum  it  is  ver}'- 
impure  and  rotten,  and  is  intercalated  with  wash  from  the  mountain. 
In  some  places  the  trench  cuts  through  small  veins  of  asphaltum,  which 
penetrate  the  earthy  material  and  give  evidence  of  the  fluidity  of  the 
asphaltum  at  the  time  of  its  deposition.  At  its  eastern  end,  this  trench 
cuts  into  the  hillside  and  shows  a  sandy  formation,  which  is  not  hard 
enough  to  be  classed  as  sandstone;  some  of  the  sand  is  fine  and  some 
coarse,  and  contains  small  pebbles;  no  stratification  is  to  be  seen.     In 


—  45  — 

some  places  the  sand  is  cemented  with  petroleum.  A  short  distance  to 
the  eastward  of  the  white  heap  shown  in  the  photograph  of  Asphalto,  a 
series  of  irregular  pits  have  been  sunk.  These  pits  show  a  superficial 
stratum,  about  2  feet  in  thickness,  of  fairly  good  asphaltum,  beneath 
which,  to  the  depth  of  about  20  feet,  the  formation  is  similar  to  that  in 
the  lower  portions  of  the  trench  previously  described.  The  greater  part 
of  the  superficial  asphaltum  has  been  removed  from  the  surface  of  the  bed 
which  is  leased  by  the  Standard  Asphalt  Compan}'.  At  the  time  of  the 
writer's  visit  there  were  heaped  up  or  strewn  on  the  surface  of  this  bed 
100  tons  or  more  of  fairly  good  asphaltum.  The  holes  caused  by  mining 
were  filled  with  heavy  oil,  or  with  water,  the  surface  of  which  was 
covered  with  floating  oil.  The  asphaltum  beds,  which  in  May,  1893, 
were  still  reserved  by  the  Buena  Vista  Oil  Company,  commence  a  little 
more  than  1,000  feet  to  the  southward  of  the  store  belonging  to  the 
Standard  Asphalt  Company. 

At  that  date  the  superficial  asphaltum  had  not  been  removed  from 
these  beds,  and  a  pit,  in  which  much  heavy  oil  had  collected,  showed  a 
superficial  stratum  of  about  4  feet  in  thickness,  of  fairly  good  asphaltum. 
Beneath  it  is  sand,  impregnated  with  heavy  oil.  Southward  from  the 
tank  seen  in  the  photograph  a  trench,  which  has  a  northerly  and  south- 
erly^ direction,  has  been  cut  to  a  depth  of  from  3  to  12  feet.  This  trench 
is  about  250  feet  in  length  and  penetrates  asphaltum  and  sand  soaked 
with  heavy  oil.  The  oil  accumulates  in  the  bottom  of  this  trench  and 
sluggishly  flows  through  a  pipe  into  a  tank.  Another  ditch  branches 
off  in  a  southeasterly  direction  from  the  one  last  described,  and  shows 
that  the  asphaltum  at  that  point  is  about  2  feet  in  thickness,  and  that 
it  rests  on  oil-soaked  sand.  This  plot  of  asphaltum,  which  has  been 
reserved  by  the  Buena  Vista  Oil  Company,  probably  covers  an  area  of 
about  six  acres.  Other  asphaltum  beds  extend  to  the  westward  of  the 
roadway,  w^hich  runs  in  a  southerly  direction  from  Asphalto,  and  to  the 
westward  of  the  boarding-house  of  the  Buena  Vista  Oil  Company. 

These  asphaltum  beds  are  evidently  much  more  ancient  than  those 
farther  down  the  hill,  and  much  of  the  asphaltum  is  of  poor  quality. 
The  general  trend  of  these  ancient  asphaltum  beds  is  northwesterly  and 
southeasterly,  and  they  appear  to  extend  along  the  contact  of  the  sand- 
stone and  light-colored  shale.  The  shale  has  a  general  strike  of  north 
of  west  by  south  of  east,  and  evidently  stands  at  a  great  angle.  In 
some  places  these  asphaltum  beds  show  evidence  of  having  been  on  tire, 
and  masses  of  clinker  have  been  formed.  This  clinker  is  locally  called 
''coked  asphaltum,"  a  sample  of  which  showed  39.1  per  cent  of  carbo- 
naceous matter.  There  must  be  more  than  ten  acres  covered  with  this 
ancient  asphaltum  on  the  land  of  the  Buena  Vista  Oil  Company,  all  of 
which  is  situated  on  the  hills  overlooking  Asphalto. 

Attempts  to  Refine  Asjihaltum. — Several  years  ago  an  experimental 
attempt  to  refine  asphaltum  was  made  by  the  Buena  Vista  Oil  Com- 
pany. What  remains  of  their  plant  consists  of  three  kettles.  3x8  feet, 
by  20  inches  deep;  a  tank,  and  four  kettles  not  set  up.  In  May,  1893, 
the  tank  and  three  of  the  kettles  were  full  of  oil,  and  piled  up  near 
the  kettles  were  many  boxes  of  refined  asphaltum.  The  asphaltum 
appeared  to  contain  much  oil,  for  it  had  partly  melted  under  the  heat 
of  the  sun. 

Although  there  is  a  large  amount  of  impure,  crude  asphaltum  in 
these  beds,  only  a  small  portion  is  sufficiently  pure  to  pay  for  mining 


—  46  — 

and  refining  by  the  methods  now  employed.     It  is  possible,  however, 
that  the  impure,  crude  asphaltum  may  be  of  value  as  bituminous  rock. 

THE    ASPHALTUM    VEINS    IN    THE    BUENA    VISTA    DISTRICT. 

The  principal  working  from  which  asphalt  was  being  mined  at  the 
time  of  the  writer's  visit  to  this  district,  is  near  the  N.W.  corner  of  the 
S.W.  i  of  Sec.  27,  T.  30  S.,  R.  22  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  and  is  marked  as  Flag 
No.  1  in  the  accompanying  sketch-map.  It  consists  of  a  shaft,  with 
drifts  connected  therewith.  This  shaft  is  about  40  feet  deep,  and  has 
been  sunk  on  a  vein  of  asphaltum  which  shows  a  thickness  of  8  feet, 
and  dips  about  15°  west  of  north.  The  asphaltum  is  of  a  high  grade,  is 
black,  lustrous,  and  breaks  with  a  ready  cleavage.  At  the  depth  of  lo 
feet  the  vein  widened  and  was  drifted  on  for  15  feet  20°  east  of  north,  45 
feet  70°  east  of  north,  and  18  feet  70"''  west  of  south.  At  the  end  of  the 
18-foot  drift  the  vein  pinched,  and  an  inclined  shaft  was  sunk  thereon 
6  feet.  At  the  bottom  of  the  inclined  shaft  the  vein  again  widened,  and 
was  drifted  on  for  about  7  feet  in  a  northwesterly  direction  along  its 
strike,  the  foot  wall  being  light-colored  clay,  and  the  hanging  wall  a 
light-colored,  friable  sandstone.  The  course  of  the  vein  then  turned 
until  it  showed  a  strike  of  44°  east  of  south,  and  the  foot  wall  changed 
from  clay  to  coarse  sand.  At  the  end  of  this  drift  the  angle  of  the  dij) 
greatly  increases,  the  vein  pinches  to  a  width  of  about  4  inches,  and  the 
light-colored  clay  comes  in  again  as  a  foot  wall.  A  short  distance  from 
the  end  of  the  drift  the  vein  has  been  stoped  out  to  the  depth  of  about 
12  feet  below  the  floor.  In  the  bottom  of  the  stope  the  vein  widens  to 
about  4  feet,  showing  about  2  feet  of  pure  black  asphaltum,  which  is 
separated  from  the  walls  by  about  a  foot  of  dull  and  somewhat  pul- 
verulent asphaltum. 

Passing  to  the  bottom  of  the  shaft,  a  lower  vein  of  asphaltum  about 
2^  feet  thick  is  seen  dipping  about  5°  west  of  north,  at  an  angle  of  about 
45°.  The  foot  wall  is  light-colored  clay  with  streaks  of  gypsum,  and 
the  hanging  wall  is  sandy  clay.  The  drift  penetrates  the  hanging  wall, 
and  the  following  strata  are  passed  through: 

Sandy  clay _ 7  feet. 

Hard  and  calcareous  stratum 6  inches. 

Sandy  clay 7  feet. 

Loose  sand 4  inches. 

Sandy  clay 2  feet. 

Asphaltum 6  inches. 

The  drift  terminates  in  light-colored,  friable  sandstone.  This  6-inch 
vein  is,  no  doubt,  the  same  vein  which  is  mined  in  the  upper  level;  in 
the  lower  level  the  vein  dips  25°  east  of  north. 

In  mining  this  asphaltum,  holes  are  bored  in  the  clay  to  the  depth  of 
2^  feet,  with  augers.  Each  hole  is  charged  with  a  stick  of  No.  2  giant 
powder.  Three  such  charges  usually  move  or  loosen  a  block  of  clay  4 
feet  wide,  6  feet  high,  and  2  feet  thick.  The  sand  is  mined  with  picks, 
but  the  hard  streaks  sometimes  require  drilling.  When  the  work  can 
be  so  adjusted  as  to  allow  time  for  the  smoke  to  clear,  a  good  eflect  is 
obtained  with  two  holes  and  the  use  of  Judson  powder.  When  this 
powder  is  used,  one  hole  is  bored  in  the  top  and  the  other  in  the  bottom 
of  the  face  of  the  drift.  The  bottom  hole  is  sprung  with  half  a  stick  of 
giant  powder,  and  is  then  loaded  with  from  one  to  two  quarts  of  .Tudson 


RARY 


r-3as  ff.s^£_ 


—  47  — 

powder;  the  top  hole  is  loaded  with  a  stick  of  giant  powder.  The  fuse 
used  for  the  bottom  charge  is  a  little  shorter  than  that  used  for  the  upper 
charge,  so  that  the  Judson  powder  is  exploded  first. 

In  the  formation  hitherto  encountered,  which  is  about  half  clay  and 
half  sand,  two  men  can  drift  from  5  to  6  feet  a  day,  if  the  wheeling  and 
hoisting  are  done  by  others.  The  clay  is  dry  and  stands  without  timber- 
ing, but  the  sand  is  timbered  and  lagged  on  the  roof  and  sides  of  the 
drift.  As  may  be  supposed,  mining  in  such  a  formation  is  not  very 
destructive  to  tools.  Two  men  picking  in  the  sand  will  dull  four  or  five 
picks  daily,  but  in  the  clay  one  pick  will  last  a  man  a  week  or  more. 
The  asphalt  splits  with  ready  cleavage,  and  is  easily  mined.  At  the 
time  of  the  writer's  visit  a  second  shaft  was  being  sunk  about  35  feet 
from  the  one  described. 

About  200  yards  north  of  the  main  shaft  a  broad  band  of  light-colored 
clay  stretches  across  the  country,  and  has  a  strike  of  53°  west  of  north 
(see  sketch-map).  Extending  eastward  from  this  shaft  toward  Station  2 
are  shallow  workings  and  prospect  holes.  These  appear  to  have  been 
sunk  on  the  outcropping  edge  of  the  lower  vein  of  asphaltum  which 
was  mined  in  Shaft  No.  2.  In  these  workings  the  stratum  of  asphaltum 
is  well  exposed,  and  dips  somewhat  irregularly  between  15°  and  25°  east 
of  north,  at  an  angle  of  from  45°  to  55°.  The  average  width  of  the  vein 
is  from  3  to  4  feet,  and  much  of  it  is  good,  bright,  black  asphaltum.  In 
one  of  these  excavations  a  tunnel  has  been  run  into  the  hill  for  about 
40  feet  in  a  northeasterly  direction.  The  formation  penetrated  is  light- 
colored  clay  and  soft  friable  sandstone,  dipping  25°  east  of  north,  at  an 
angle  of  about  50°.  It  is  probable  that  this  excavation  has  been  made 
on  a  fold  in  the  strata,  for  although,  as  above  noted,  the  tunnel  which  runs 
into  the  hill  from  the  northeast  side  of  the  excavation  shows  a  dip  to  the 
east  of  north,  the  strata  on  the  south  side  of  the  excavation  dip  2°  west  of 
north,  at  an  angle  of  50°.  About  65  feet  to  west  of  Shaft  No.  2,  outcrop- 
pings  of  the  vein  are  found.  The  vein  at  this  point  shows  a  strike  of 
68°  west  of  north  and  dips  22°  east  of  north,  at  an  angle  of  about  70°. 
At  Station  2  there  is  a  good  exposure  of  a  vein  of  asphaltum,  dipping 
23°  east  of  north,  at  an  angle  of  50°.  The  strike  of  this  vein  would,  if 
extended  in  a  southwesterly  direction,  carry  it  across  the  ravine  in 
which  the  already  described  workings  are  situated;  and  following  along 
the  strike  of  the  vein  for  a  short  distance  in  a  northwesterly  direction 
across  the  ravine,  a  shaft  about  10  feet  deep  is  reached,  which  shows  a 
vein  of  asphaltum  about  3  feet  in  thickness.  Crossing  the  roadway  and 
a  ravine  which  leads  in  a  southeasterly  direction,  superficial  excavations 
are  found  showing  asphaltum  mixed  with  sand  and  clay.  On  the  east- 
ern side  of  the  ravine  there  are  three  tunnels,  which  are  marked,  respect- 
ively, on  the  accompanying  sketch-map  as  tunnels  a,  b,  c. 

Tunnel  a,  which  is  situated  about  20  feet  above  the  bottom  of  the 
ravine,  has  ])een  run  in  a  southwesterly  direction.  The  formation  pene- 
trated dips  20°  west  of  south,  at  an  angle  of  about  20°,  and  is  as  follows: 

Light-colored  clay 20  paces. 

Asphaltum ." 2     feet. 

'1  his  asphaltum  is  partly  a  pure  black  variety,  and  partly  light  and  powdery 
and  mixed  with  clay. 

Fine,  light-colored  sand - 7  paces. 

Light-colored  clay  and  sandy  clay  traversed  with  streaks  and  pockets  of  as- 
phaltum   '. - - 15  paces. 

One  of  these  pockets  was  2  feet  thick,  4  feet  wide,  and  extended  from  the  floor 
to  the  roof  of  the  tunnel. 


—  47  — 

powder;  the  top  hole  is  loaded  with  a  stick  of  giant  powder.  The  fuse 
used  for  the  bottom  charge  is  a  little  shorter  than  that  used  for  the  upper 
charge,  so  that  the  Judson  powder  is  exploded  first. 

In  the  formation  hitherto  encountered,  which  is  about  half  claj^  and 
half  sand,  two  men  can  drift  from  5  to  6  feet  a  day,  if  the  wheeling  and 
hoisting  are  done  by  others.  The  clay  is  dry  and  stands  without  timber- 
ing, but  the  sand  is  timbered  and  lagged  on  the  roof  and  sides  of  the 
drift.  As  may  be  supposed,  mining  in  such  a  formation  is  not  very 
destructive  to  tools.  Two  men  picking  in  the  sand  will  dull  four  or  five 
picks  daily,  but  in  the  clay  one  pick  will  last  a  man  a  week  or  more. 
The  asphalt  splits  with  ready  cleavage,  and  is  easily  mined.  At  the 
time  of  the  writer's  visit  a  second  shaft  was  being  sunk  about  35  feet 
from  the  one  described. 

About  200  yards  north  of  the  main  shaft  a  broad  band  of  light-colored 
clay  stretches  across  the  country,  and  has  a  strike  of  53°  west  of  north 
(see  sketch-map).  Extending  eastward  from  this  shaft  toward  Station  2 
are  shallow  workings  and  prospect  holes.  These  appear  to  have  been 
sunk  on  the  outcropping  edge  of  the  lower  vein  of  asphaltum  which 
was  mined  in  Shaft  No.  2.  In  these  workings  the  stratum  of  asphaltum 
is  well  exposed,  and  dips  somewhat  irregularly  between  15°  and  25°  east 
of  north,  at  an  angle  of  from  45°  to  55°.  The  average  width  of  the  vein 
is  from  3  to  4  feet,  and  much  of  it  is  good,  bright,  black  asphaltum.  In 
one  of  these  excavations  a  tunnel  has  been  run  into  the  hill  for  about 
40  feet  in  a  northeasterly  direction.  The  formation  penetrated  is  light- 
colored  clay  and  soft  friable  sandstone,  dipping  25°  east  of  north,  at  an 
angle  of  about  50°.  It  is  probable  that  this  excavation  has  been  made 
on  a  fold  in  the  strata,  for  although,  as  above  noted,  the  tunnel  which  runs 
into  the  hill  from  the  northeast  side  of  the  excavation  shows  a  dip  to  the 
east  of  north,  the  strata  on  the  south  side  of  the  excavation  dip  2°  west  of 
north,  at  an  angle  of  50°.  About  65  feet  to  west  of  Shaft  No.  2,  outcrop- 
pings  of  the  vein  are  found.  The  vein  at  this  point  shows  a  strike  of 
68°  west  of  north  and  dips  22°  east  of  north,  at  an  angle  of  about  70°. 
At  Station  2  there  is  a  good  exposure  of  a  vein  of  asphaltum,  dipping 
23°  east  of  north,  at  an  angle  of  50°.  The  strike  of  this  vein  would,  if 
extended  in  a  southwesterly  direction,  carry  it  across  the  ravine  in 
which  the  already  described  workings  are  situated;  and  following  along 
the  strike  of  the  vein  for  a  short  distance  in  a  northwesterly  direction 
across  the  ravine,  a  shaft  about  10  feet  deep  is  reached,  which  shows  a 
vein  of  asphaltum  about  3  feet  in  thickness.  Crossing  the  roadway  and 
a  ravine  which  leads  in  a  southeasterly  direction,  superficial  excavations 
are  found  showing  asphaltum  mixed  with  sand  and  clay.  On  the  east- 
ern side  of  the  ravine  there  are  three  tunnels,  which  are  marked,  respect- 
ively, on  the  accompanying  sketch-map  as  tunnels  a,  b,  c. 

Tunnel  a,  which  is  situated  about  20  feet  above  the  bottom  of  the 
ravine,  has  l)een  run  in  a  south Avesterly  direction.  The  formation  pene- 
trated dips  20°  west  of  south,  at  an  angle  of  about  20°,  and  is  as  follows: 

Light-colored  clay - 20  paces. 

Asphaltum .".. - 2     feet. 

1  his  asphaltum  is  partly  a  pure  black  variety,  and  partly  light  and  powdery 
and  mi.xed  with  clay. 

Fine,  light-colored  sand - 7  paces. 

Light-colored  clay  and  sandy  clay  traversed  with  streaks  and  pockets  of  as- 
phaltum  15  paces. 

One  of  tliese  pockets  was  2  feet  thick,  4  feet  wide,  and  extended  from  tlic  floor 
to  the  roof  of  the  tunnel. 


—  48  — 

lleddisli-brown  sand .-- 20  paces. 

Light  colored,  clayey  sand,  with  streaks  and  pockets  of  reddish  asphaltum 20  paces. 

Light-colored  sand,  some  of  which  was  saturated  with  oil 2  paces. 

At  the  end  of  the  tunnel  there  is  a  seepage  of  heavy  oil. 

Tunnel  h  was  commenced  about  20  feet  farther  down  the  side  of  the 
ravine  than  tunnel  a,  and  is  about  20  paces  distant  therefrom  in  a 
northwesterly  direction.  This  tunnel  has  been  run  into  the  hill  for 
about  50  paces  in  a  southwesterly  direction.  The  formation  is  similar 
to  that  observed  in  the  upper  tunnel,  but  the  dip  is  a  little  more  westerly. 
At  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel  there  appears  to  be  an  irregular  vein  of 
asphaltum,  but  a  winze  sunk  thereon  about  7  feet  shows  only  a  few 
seams  of  asphaltum  of  no  great  width  traversing  a  light-colored  clay. 

A  short  distance  southeast  of  tunnel  b  an  open  cut  shows  a  disturbed 
vein  of  asphaltum  about  2  feet  in  width,  and  irregular  masses  of 
asphaltum  spreading  out  therefrom.  The  inclosing  rocks,  which  dip 
30°  east  of  south,  at  an  angle  of  about  40°,  are  light-colored,  sandy 
clay.  This  formation  is  penetrated  by  tunnel  c,  which  has  been  run 
nearly  in  the  direction  of  the  dip,  and  is  as  follows: 

Light-colored  sandy  clay,  with  asphalt ---    7  paces. 

Reddish-brown  sand --- - 15  paces. 

Light-colored  clay,  with  seams  of  gypsum -.     7  paces. 

About  35°  west  of  south  from  tunnel  c  an  open  cut  shows  an  irregu- 
lar-shaped mass  of  asphaltum,  inclosed  in  soft  brown  sandstone,  which 
is  faulted  in  places,  and  a  fissure  occasioned  thereby  is  filled  with 
asphaltum.  This  is  somewhat  softer  than  that  obtained  from  the 
shafts,  and  the  heat  of  the  summer's  sun  had  evidently  been  sufficient 
to  melt  it.  At  Station  5  the  dip  of  the  soft  brown  sandstone  is  60° 
east  of  north,  and  a  fissure,  having  a  direction  of  55°  east  of  north,  has 
been  filled  with  very  pure  asphaltum,  forming  a  vein  from  4  to  5  feet  in 
width.  The  fissure  is  nearly  vertical,  and  the  vein  has  a  slight  pitch  to 
the  northwest. 

A  few  yards  east  of  south  from  Station  5  there  are  open  cuts  in  a  soft 
bituminous  sandstone,  which  show  straggling  veins  of  asphaltum  of  no 
great  thickness.  On  the  western  side  of  the  principal  ravine,  at  Sta- 
tion 6,  the  formation  dips  35°  west  of  south,  at  an  angle  of  about  60°. 
A  vein  of  high-grade  asphaltum  of  about  one  foot  in  width  is  here 
exposed  in  an  open  cut.  Both  the  head  walls  and  foot  walls  are  formed 
of  light-colored  clay,  which  is  seamed  with  gypsum.  About  20  yards 
west  of  Flag  B  a  soft,  dark-brown  sandstone  is  exposed,  which  becomes 
grayish  on  the  outside  by  exposure  to  the  air.  At  Station  7  are  bitu- 
minous shales,  which  become  almost  white  by  exposure;  these  shales 
dip  85°  west  of  south,  at  an  angle  of  about  80°.  Between  these  shales 
•and  the  soft  brown  sandstone  is  a  soft  silicious  stratum,  containing 
marine  diatoms,  and  saturated  with  bituminous  matter.  The  surface 
of  this  silicious  stratum  is  white,  and  appears  to  have  been  bleached  by 
exposure.  Both  the  soft  silicious  stratum  and  the  sandstone  have  suf- 
fered greatly  by  erosion,  especially  along  the  contact  of  the  shales  and 
the  soft  silicious  rock,  where  a  gulch  has  been  formed,  which  has  a 
course  of  from  20°  to  40°  west  of  north  and  east  of  south.  The  dark 
color  of  the  material  forming  these  shales,  silicious  rocks,  and  sand- 
stones is  evidently  occasioned  by  bituminous  matter. 

At  Station  8,  an  open  cut  about  6  feet  deep  shmvs  the  dip  of  the 


cr 

p 
71 


Asphalt  Mine,  showing  Vein  of  Asphalt.    Buena  Vista  District,  Kern  County 


A^llllalt  Mines  in  Uuena  Vista  District,  Kerii  (  ounty. 


—  49  — 

formation  to  be  40°  east  of  south,  and  shallow  cuttings  between  Stations 
8  and  9  show  asphaltum  "prospects";  but  the  exposures  are  not  suffi- 
cient to  determine  either  the  dip  or  strike. 

At  Station  9,  a  soft,  dark-colored  sandstone,  similar  to  that  near 
Station  7,  is  exposed,  having  a  strike  of  60°  west  of  north,  and  dip- 
ping southwesterly  at  an  angle  of  about  70°.  At  Station  10,  an  open 
cut  shows  a  body  of  asphaltum  about  4  feet  across,  which  has  been 
bent  upward  and  folded  on  itself,  apparently  by  a  flexure  in  the 
formation. 

At  Station  11,  a  pit  about  8  feet  deep  shows  a  disturbed  formation 
of  sandy  clay  and  asphaltum.  The  probable  strike  is  75°  west  of  north, 
dip  northeasterly,  and  at  a  great  angle. 

At  Station  12,  an  open  cut  about  12  feet  deep  shows  several  strata 
of  impure  asphaltum,  which  vary  in  thickness  from  1  inch  to  about  1 
foot.  The  asphaltum  is  intercalated  by  thin  strata  of  light-colored  clay, 
sand,  and  pebbles.  One  of  the  uppermost  strata,  which  is  composed  of 
dark-colored  sand,  is  fossiliferous  and  contains  fresh-water  shells.  The 
pitch  of  the  fossiliferous  stratum  is  80°  east  of  north,  and  at  an  angle  of 
about  50°;  the  fossiliferous  stratum  rests  upon  impure,  sandy  asphaltum, 
on  sand  impregnated  with  bituminous  matter.  Specimens  of  these  fresh- 
water shells  were  submitted  to  Dr.  Cooper,  who  found  them  to  be: 

Anodonta  nuttaliana,  Lea Living. 

Carinifex  newherryi,  Lea Living. 

Pomatiopsis  intermedia,  Try  on Living. 

At  Station  13  a  25-foot  tunnel  has  been  run  into  the  hill,  and  cuts 
a  vein  of  powdery  asphaltum,  more  or  less  mixed  with  clay  and  sand. 
There  are  also  several  open  cuts  and  shallow  workings  between  Flags 
D  and  C,  which  show  the  strike  of  the  formation  to  be  65°  east  of 
south,  and  the  dip  25°  east  of  north,  at  an  angle  of  about  40°.  In  two 
of  these  cuts  a  stratum  of  calcareous  clayey  sandstone  is  exposed,  which 
contains  numerous  small  fresh-water  shells  similar  to  those  seen  at 
Station  12.  In  one  of  these  openings  the  bones  of  mammals  were 
found  beneath  the  impure  asphaltum  which  underlies  the  fossiliferous 
stratum  in  this  locality. 

A  few  yards  westward  from  these  workings  a  line  of  open  cuts  shows 
a  vein  of  asphaltum  similar  to  the  one  already  noted  between  Flags  D 
and  C,  but  the  dip  is  35°  west  of  south  at  an  angle  of  65°.  At  Sta- 
tion 15,  about  250  yards  to  the  southwest  of  Station  13,  and  in  the 
same  ravine,  there  is  a  tunnel  a  few  feet  in  length  and  a  shaft  about  12 
feet  deep.  The  formation  penetrated  is  dark-colored,  soft  sandstone  and 
sandy  clay.  In  the  tunnel  a  vein  of  high-grade  asphaltum  is  exposed, 
standing  nearly  vertical  and  having  a  strike  of  10°  east  of  south.  At 
Station  16,  between  Flags  B  and  E,  two  open  cuts  show  a  mass  of 
asphaltum  about  2  feet  in  thickness,  and  some  heavy  oil.  At  three 
places  between  Stations  16  and  B,  open  cuts  show  irregular  veins  of 
asphaltum,  which  vary  in  thickness  from  that  of  a  few  inches  to  about 
2  feet.     The  asphaltum  is  more  or  less  mixed  with  clay  and  sand. 

Remarks  oti  the  Asj^haltum  Veins. — The  asphaltum  veins  herein  de- 
scribed may  be  divided  into  two  orders:  those  having  a  strike  and  dip 
dissimilar  to  that  of  the  rocks  inclosing  them,  and  those  having  a  strike 
and  dip  similar  to  that  of  the  inclosing  rocks.  The  asphaltum  veins  of 
the  first  order  are  no  doubt  dikes  of  asphaltum,  which  occupy  fissures 

4m 


—  50  — 

in  what  appear  to  be  rocks  of  late  Tertiary  formation.  The  genesis  of 
the  asphaltiim  veins  of  the  second  order  is  more  dubious;  some  of  the 
veins  may  be  dikes  filling  fissures  formed  between  the  contact  planes  of 
upheaved  strata,  or  they  may  have  been  formed  as  subaqueous  exuda- 
tions. The  asphaltum  has  a  specific  gravity  of  about  1.10,  and  even  if 
it  were  less,  assuming  that  it  exuded  beneath  water,  its  viscosity  would 
tend  to  keep  it  submerged.  An  interesting  feature  of  this  locality  is  the 
diversity  in  the  direction  of  the  dip  of  asphaltum-bearing  strata  within 
comparatively  small  areas,  although  the  prevailing  dip  appears  to  be 
northeasterly.  As  the  j^urport  of  this  article  is  merely  to  describe  the 
geological  conditions  under  which  these  asphaltum  veins  occur,  it  is 
unnecessary  to  theorize. 

This  recent  discovery  of  veins  of  asphaltum  appears  the  more  impor- 
tant when  we  remember  that  formations  of  similar  geologic  age  to  those 
at  Asphalto  can  be  traced  along  the  foothills  on  the  western  side  of  the 
San  Joaquin  Valley,  and  it  is  hardly  likely  that  these  veins  of  asphaltum 
are  confined  to  the  vicinity  of  Asphalto.  The  heavy  mantle  of  alluvium 
covering  the  western  foothills  of  the  San  Joaquin  renders  prospecting  in 
these  formations  difficult,  but  the  rapid  erosion  which  takes  place  during 
the  rainy  season  will  probably,  from  time  to  time,  expose  outcropping 
veins  of  asphaltum,  which,  in  view  of  the  recent  discoveries  at  Asphalto, 
it  would  be  well  to  investigate. 

THE    REFINERY    OF    THE    STANDARD    ASPHALT    COMPANY. 

As  before  mentioned  the  refinery  belonging  to  this  company  is  situ- 
ated at  Asphalto,  and  consists  of  a  plant  furnished  with  twenty-one 
refining  kettles.  The  refining  kettles,  as  shown  in  the  accompanying 
photograph,  are  set  nineteen  in  a  row,  and  each  is  about  12-|  feet  long, 
5  feet  wide,  and  3  feet  deep.  They  are  made  of  steel,  and  are  sur- 
rounded by  brickwork;  they  are  suspended  by  angle-iron  flanges,  which 
are  riveted  to  the  kettles,  the  free  limbs  of  the  angle-irons  resting 
on  the  brickwork.  The  fireplaces  are  situated  below  the  level  of  the 
kettles,  and  about  5  feet  in  front  of  them.  Dry,  crude  asphaltum  and 
asphaltum  refuse  are  used  as  fuel,  and  the  flames  therefrom  pass  over  a 
fire-arch  before  reaching  the  bottom  of  the  kettles.  Iron  pipes  are  used 
as  grate-bars,  the  ends  being  left  open  so  as  to  permit  the  air  to  circu- 
late through  them,  and  by  this  means  the  bars  resist  the  heat,  w^hich  is 
very  great,  for  the  melted  fuel  runs  through  between  the  bars,  and  burns 
in  the  ash-pit.  The  refining  kettles  are  arranged  in  pairs,  and  each 
pair  is  furnished  with  a  separate  smokestack.  The  refining  kettles  are 
connected  with  kettles  for  receiving  the  refined  asphaltum,  and  each  of 
the  receiving  kettles  is  furnished  with  a  smokestack. 

The  crude  asphaltum  is  stacked  up  on  a  charging  floor,  which  is  situ- 
ated 4  or  5  feet  above  the  level  of  the  refining  kettles  and  a  few  feet  dis- 
tant therefrom.  From  this  floor  the  asphaltum  is  fed  into  the  kettles 
by  chutes.  A  little  heavy  oil  is  then  added  to  the  asphaltum  to  assist 
its  liquefaction.  When  90  per  cent  asphaltum  is  refined,  a  kettle  is 
charged,  boiled,  and  emptied  in  twenty-four  hours.  The  asphaltum  is 
considered  sufficiently  refined  when  it  cools  and  sets  quickly  as  a  hard, 
brittle  substance  possessing  a  high  luster.  The  quality  of  hardness  is 
only  required  to  enable  the  asphaltum  to  be  shipped,  for  it  has  to  be 
fluxed  with  liquid  petroleum  previous  to  use.     This  refinery  is  said  to 


—  51  — 


have  a  capacity  of  20  tons  every  twenty-four  hours,  when  90  per  cent 
asphaltum  is  refined.  The  time  consumed  by  the  operation  of  refining 
naturally  varies  according  to  the  richness  of  the  crude  material.  The 
lower  the  grade  of  the  crude  asphaltum,  the  longer  it  takes  to  refine  it. 

Samples  containing  sandy  impurities  are  the  most  easy  to  refine,  and 
those  containing  clayey  matter  are  the  most  diflficult.  In  refining  a 
low-grade  asphaltum,  as  soon  as  the  crude  material  becomes  sufficiently 
liquid  to  allow  the  heavier  impurities  to  settle,  the  liquid  asphaltum 
is  transferred  to  a  clean  kettle,  wherein  the  process  is  continued.  The 
refined  material  is  drawn  off  through  tap  pipes  ("swing  pipes"),  and  it 
is  conducted  by  a  gutter  into  large  receiving  kettles. 

The  receiving  kettles  are  17  feet  long,  6  feet  wide,  and  4  feet  deep;  and 
each  of  them  hold  about  1  5  tons  of  asphaltum.  In  these  the  asphaltum 
is  kept  at  such  a  temperature  that  it  will  flow  readily  when  poured. 
From  the  receiving  kettles  the  asphaltum  is  drawn  off  into  a  swinging 
kettle,  which  holds  about  65  gallons.  This  is  set  on  wheels,  and  is 
pushed  along  a  track,  by  the  side  of  which  wooden  boxes  destined  to 
hold  about  110  pounds  of  asphaltum,  are  arranged.  The  boxes  are 
filled  by  pouring  from  the  swinging  kettle. 

The  "swing  pipe"  before  referred  to,  which  is  used  to  draw  oli"  the 
refined  asphaltum,  is  constructed  according  to  the  accompanying  draw- 
ing. 


/2.  6 


P.O'   -  Z.oc/<A/(/rs . 
Section  of  Asphalt  Refining  Kettle  showing  Swing-Pipe. 

Let  A  A  A'  A'  be  interior  of  kettle.  Nipple  B  B'  passes  through  wall 
of  kettle  A  A,  and  is  secured  with  two  lock-nuts  O  0';  elbow  C  is  screwed 
on  nipple  end  B',  forming  a  swinging  L  pipe  with  joint  D  D'.  The  swing- 
ing L  pipe  C  D'  D  is  just  so  as  to  be  long  enough,  when  standing  per- 
pendicular, to  protrude  above  the  surface  of  the  liquid  asphaltum.  The 
purpose  of  this  pipe  is  to  avoid  the  use  of  stop-cocks,  which  would  get 
clogged  and  cause  trouble. 

In  the  process  of  refining  it  is  found  best  to  commence  with  a  slow 
fire  and  gradually  increase  the  heat  until  a  temperature  of  from  250*^ 
to  300°  Fahr.  is  attained.  Constant  stirring  is  needed  to  prevent  the 
sediment  from  burning,  which  would  soon  destroy  the  kettle.  Before 
"  tapping  "  the  asphaltum  the  fire  is  drawn  and  the  liquid  asphaltum  is 
allowed  to  stand  for  an  hour  or  more  so  the  impurities  may  settle. 
The  "swing  pipe"  is  then  lowered  and  the  liquid  asphaltum  is  run  out. 
The  refuse  is  valuable  as  fuel,  and  could  also  be  utilized  as  bituminous 
rock.     It  is  used  with  good  efl'ect  to  line  tanks  and  reservoirs.     When 


—  52  — 

twenty  kettles  are  in  operation  ten  men  are  required  for  each  shift. 
This  refinery  was  completed  March  1,  1893.  The  first  run  was  made  on 
300  tons  of  crude  asphaltum  from  the  superficial  asphaltum  beds  leased 
by  the  Standard  Asphalt  Company,  and  about  100  tons  of  refined 
asphaltum  were  produced. 

The  higher  grades  of  crude  asphaltum  are  not  only  the  most  easily 
refined,  but  they  are  the  most  easy  to  mine  and  handle.  They  fracture 
readily,  and  can  be  "blocked  off"  with  drift  bars  and  picks.  The  tough, 
oily  varieties  of  asphaltum  have  to  be  mined  with  a  hot  spade,  and  cut 
with  ax-shaped  mattocks  and  picks;  heavy  charges  of  powder  are  also 
required. 

The  cost  of  working  60  per  cent  crude  asphaltum  is  figured  at  about 
'$10  a  ton.  inclusive  of  mining  and  all  expenses.  When  the  impurities 
are  of  a  sandy  nature  it  is  said  that  30  per  cent  crude  asphaltum  can 
profitably  be  worked,  and  with  clayey  impurities  40  per  cent.  With 
regard  to  the  grade  of  asphaltum  which  could  be  worked  with  profit, 
the  limit  would  be  controlled  by  the  market  price  of  refined  asphaltum. 
The  writer  is  informed  that  during  1893  the  market  price  for  refined 
asphaltum  averaged  $25  a  ton  f.  o.  b.  at  Asphalto. 

The  following  extracts  from  the  records  of  the  Standard  Asphalt  Com- 
pany have  been  courteously  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  California  State 
Mining  Bureau: 


Comparative  Analyses  of  Trinidad  Pitch  Lake  Asphalt  and' Standard  Asphalt  from  Bakers- 
field,  California. 


California. 

Sample  H,  Crude 

from  ISIine. 


California. 
Sample  H, 
Refined. 


Pitch  Lake. 
Average. 


Pitch  Lake. 
Best. 


Specific  gravity 

Softening  temperature,  F. 
Flowing  temperature,  F. . 

Inorganic  matter 

Bitumen  soluble  in  CS.  .- 
Bitumen  soluble  in  ether. 
Percentage  of  total  bitu- 
men soluble  in  ether.. 


1.132 

180  degrees. 

220  degrees. 

9.57  per  cent. 

85.49  per  cent. 

69.98  per  cent. 


1.240 

150  degrees. 

180  degrees. 

9.77  percent. 

90.16  per  cent. 

86.45  per  cent. 


1.3857 
190  degrees. 
205  degrees. 

35.66  per  cent. 

56.29  per  cent. 

41.43  per  cent. 


81.85  per  cent.  I  95.88  per  cent.     73.60  per  cent. 


1.3771 
183  degrees. 
198  degrees. 

35.48  per  cent. 

57.47  per  cent. 

41.59  percent. 

72.37  per  cent. 


"The  above  analyses  of  California  asphalt  were  made  by  G.  Q.  Sim- 
mons, Sedalia,  November  8,  1893.  Those  of  Pitch  Lake  asphalt  were 
made  by  Clifford  Richardson,  Washington,  D.  C,  and  the  results  are  to 
be  found  in  his  report  of  1892,  page  114.  In  the  case  of  the  Pitch  Lake 
petroleum,  naphtha  was  used  instead  of  ether." 

The  following  tests  were  made  by  H.  Stillman,  Engineer  of  Tests  to 
the  Motive  Power  and  Machine  Department  at  Sacramento  (S.  P.  Co.): 


Asphalt. 

Ash. 

Soluble. 

Insoluble. 

Trinidad      _ 

1.5  per  cent. 
2.8  per  cent. 
6.5  per  cent. 

46.30  per  cent. 
44.25  per  cent. 
59.65  per  cent. 

52.20  per  cent. 
52.85  per  cent. 
33.95  per  cent. 

Cuban                        . 

Asphalto 

"  In  the  above,  the  Trinidad  represents  the  imported  asphaltum.  The 
proportion  of  ash  shows  the  amount  of  foreign  matter,  dirt,  and  sand 
contained.    Of  the  organic  matter,  the  proportion  insoluble  in  petroleum 


—  53  — 

spirit  may  be  considered  as  pigment  in  a  paint  or  varnish  made  from 
the  same,  while  the  proportion  soluble  in  spirit  express  the  pure  asphal- 
tum  together  with  hydrocarbon  oils  or  petroleum  existing  in  the  rock. 

"  The  nature  of  paint  made  from  the  product  (especially  as  to  drying 
properties)  will  depend  to  a  certain  extent  on  the  quantities  of  petroleum 
oil  present.  This  could  only  be  determined  by  continued  process,  requir- 
ing more  of  sample  than  at  hand. 

"  Some  idea  of  this  may  be  obtained  from  the  results  of  combustion: 


Soluble 
Hydrocarbon. 


Fixed  Carbon. 


Ash. 


Trinidad I  77.15  per  cent. 

Cuban -.. ...j  70.20  per  cent. 

Asphalto 81.40  per  cent. 


22.7  per  cent. 

27.0  per  cent. 

12.1  per  cent. 


0.15  per  cent. 
2.80  per  cent. 
6.50  per  cent. 


"  Proportion  of  volatile  to  fixed  carbon  would  express  their  value  as 
referred  to  in  the  above."     *       *       * 

Two  samples  analyzed  by  W.  B.  Potter,  of  the  St.  Louis  Sampling  and 
Testing  Works,  showed: 

Asphalt  from  Asphalto.  Percentage  of  Asphaltum. 

No.  1 88.90  percent. 

No.  2 85.32  per  cent. 

The  manager  of  the  Standard  Asphalt  Company  informed  the  writer 
that  the  crude  asphaltum,  as  it  is  mined  from  the  asphaltum  veins  now 
being  worked  at  Asphalto,  averages  75  per  cent  of  asphaltum. 

BITUMINOUS    FORMATIONS    IN    KINGS    COUNTY. 


After  leaving  Asphalto  the  writer  visited  Tar  Caiion,  in  Kings  County. 
It  is  said  that  bituminous  formations  extend  through  the  foothills 
between  Asphalto  and  Tar  Canon  for  a  distance  of  more  than  100  miles. 
The  northern  entrance  to  Tar  Canon  is  at  an  altitude  of  1,000  feet. 
In  this  caiion  there  are  seepages  of  heavy  tarry  oil,  which  in  one  place 
has  formed  a  small  quantity  of  asphaltum.  The  strata  yielding  the  oil 
are  somewhat  metamorphosed  shales  and  sandstones,  and  constitute  a 
ridge,  which  rises,  in  one  place,  to  an  altitude  of  more  than  2,000  feet. 
The  shales  exposed  on  the  northern  slope  of  this  ridge  are  grayish,  and 
become  light  colored  on  exposure;  but  they  exhibit  a  different  physical 
appearance  to  that  shown  by  the  light-colored  shales  which  yield  the 
heavy  oil  north  of  Coalinga.  They  appear  to  be  unfossiliferous,  and  dip 
10°  east  of  north,  at  an  angle  of  about  75°.  The  rock  exposures  on  the 
northern  slope  and  summit  of  this  ridge  show  that  these  shales  rest 
conformably  on  thick  strata  of  sandstone  and  calcareous  conglomerate. 

From  the  upper  strata  of  the  sandstone  the  writer  obtained  a  few 
fossils,  which  were  classified  by  Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper,  as  follows: 

Dosinia  conradi,  Gabb ...Miocene. 

Oxtrea  titan,  Con » Miocene. 

Ostrea  bonrgeoui,  Remond Pliocene. 

I'ecten  discus,  Con Pliocene. 

As  this  collection  contained  a  preponderance  of  Miocene  fossils.  Dr. 
Cooper  referred  the  strata  containing  them  to  the  Miocene  group.  Some 
of  the  strata  of  sandstone  and  conglomerate  underlying  the  strata  from 


—  54  — 

which  these  fossils  were  obtained  must  at  one  time  have  been  highly 
fossiliferous,  but  the  metamorphism  to  which  they  have  been  subjected 
prevents  the  identification  of  the  fossils  they  contained. 

The  ridge  referred  to  appears  to  be  separated  from  the  main  Coast 
Range  by  faulting  and  erosion.  On  following  in  an  easterly  direction 
the  prevailing  dip  seems  to  be  more  easterly,  and  at  a  somewhat  less 
angle  than  that  in  Tar  Canon.  In  some  places  in  the  eastern  portion 
of  the  ridge,  the  strata  appear  to  have  been  subject  to  contortion.  This 
appearance,  however,  as  seen  at  a  distance,  may,  perhaps,  be  exaggerated 
by  the  manner  in  which  the  strata  have  been  eroded.  The  formation 
exposed  on  the  southern  slope  of  this  ridge  shows  strata  of  soft  sand- 
stone and  sandy  shales,  aggregating  a  thickness  of  about  700  feet.  To 
the  northward  and  at  the  foot  of  this  ridge,  the  formation  is  soft  blue 
sandstone,  the  dip  of  which  appears  to  be  rather  more  easterly  and  at 
a  somewhat  less  angle  than  that  of  the  strata  forming  the  ridge.  From 
the  blue  sandstone  the  following  fossils  were  obtained: 

Chione  gnidia,  Sowbj'^ ..Living,  Pliocene. 

Crepidula  grandis,  ^lidd Quaternary,  Pliocene,  Pliocene. 

Macoma  edulis.  Nutt. ... ^'.. Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Pinna  venturensis,  Yates Pliocene. 

Area  inicrodontn,  Con.. Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Scutella  gibbsi,  Rem Pliocene,  Miocene. 

It  is  apparent  that  the  fossils  obtained  from  the  blue  sandstone  show 
a  more  recent  age  than  that  indicated  by  the  fossils  collected  at  Tar 
Canon. 

The  Kettleman  Plain. — The  Kettleman  Plain  is  really  a  valley  lying 
between  the  ridge  of  hills  among  which  Tar  Canon  is  situated  and  a 
range  of  low  hills  which,  on  the  northward  and  eastward,  separate  the 
plain  from  the  main  valley  of  the  San  Joaquin.  The  center  of  the 
Kettleman  Plain  is  at  an  altitude  of  500  feet.  A  reconnoisance  of  these 
hills  showed  that  their  more  elevated  portions  are  formed  of  soft  blue 
sandstone,  and  their  summits  rise  to  an  altitude  of  about  1,000  feet. 
The  summits  of  these  hills  present  a  rounded,  undulating  appearance, 
while  their  sides  are  furrowed  by  narrow  gulches  and  ravines  deeply  cut 
into  the  comparatively  recent  formations.  At  the  summit  of  these  hills 
the  strata  dip  from  10°  to  35°  west  of  south  and  at  an  angle  of  some- 
thing less  than  30°.  In  the  canons  leading  to  the  westward,  the  direc- 
tion of  the  dip  of  the  formation  averages  about  25°  west  of  south,  and 
the  angle  of  inclination  varies  from  25°  to  35°.  Near  the  summit  of 
these  hills,  the  blue  sandstone  on  which  the  formations  rest  is  interstrati- 
fied  with  a  few  calcareous  and  fossiliferous  strata.  The  following  fossils 
were  obtained  therefrom: 

Acila  castrensis,  Hinds Living,  Pliocene,  Pliocene. 

Area  microdonta,  Con Pliocene,  ^Miocene. 

Cardium  meekiannm,  Gabb Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Galerns  diegoanus,  Con Living,  Pliocene,  Pliocene. 

Galerus  filo-ms,  Gabb ..Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Lutricola  alta.  Con Living,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Macoma  inquinata,  Desh Living,  Pliocene. 

My  a  arenaria,  Linn -. Living,  Pliocene. 

Ostrea  boitrgeoisi,  Remond Pliocene. 

Pseiidocardiinn  gabhi,  Remond Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Solen  rosacens,  Carp Living,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Standella  falcata,  Gould Living,  Pliocene. 

Tapes  staletji,  Gabb Pliocene. 

Balanus  estrellanus.  Con . Miocene. 

Scutella  gibbsi,  Remond . . Pliocene,  Miocene. 


—  55  — 

This  collection  may  be  classified  in  the  order  of  their  upward  vertical 
range,  as  follows: 

Miocene -  Ij  10  ranging  back 

Pliocene,  Miocene  .- -. - 5  >■         to    the   Mio- 

Living,  Pliocene,  Miocene 4)  cene     epoch. 

Pliocene 2  ) 

Living,  Pliocene -- --- ---  3f 


5  Pliocene. 


As  these  hills  seemed  to  offer  a  chance  of  obtaining  some  information 
as  to  the  character  of  the  more  recent  strata,  which  may  reasonably  be 
supposed  to  underlie  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  a  canon  was  selected  and 
observations  w^ere  made  from  which  the  sketch  marked  "  Section  of  Ter- 
tiary strata  in  Kettleman  Hills,"  and  which  accompanies  this  article, 
was  drawn.  The  most  interesting  formation  exposed  in  the  Kettleman 
Hills  is  a  sandy  calcareous  stratum,  which  is  marked  on  the  accom- 
panying sectional  sketch  as  Station  No.  4,  and  contains  fresh-water 
shells;  but  the  fossiliferous  portion  is  of  no  great  thickness.  The  speci- 
mens of  fresh-water  shells  obtained  from  this  locality  were  classified  by 
Dr.  .J.  G.  Cooper,  as  follows: 

Anodonta  decurtnta,  Con _. Pliocene. 

Anodonta  nuttaliana,  Lea Living,  (-Quaternary,  Pliocene. 

Amnicola  turbiniformis,  Trj'on Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene. 

Carinifex  newberryi.  Lea Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene. 

Goniobasis  occata,  Hinds - .-- Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene. 

Margaritana  subangulata,  Cooper Quaternary,  Pliocene. 

Physa  costata,  Newcomb Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene. 

Planorbis  tumens,  Carp Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene. 

Sphirrium  dentatum,  Hald. Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene. 

BITUMINOUS    FORMATIONS    IN    FRESNO    COUNTY. 

There  is  a  seepage  of  heavy  oil  in  Canours  Canon,  in  Sec.  28,  T.  22  S., 
R.  16  E.,  on  the  Kreyenhagen  ranch.  The  formation  yielding  the  oil  is 
similar  to  that  in  Tar  Caiion,  and  is  well  exposed  where  the  South  Fork 
of  the  Zapato  Chino  Creek  breaks  through  the  first  tier  of  higher  mount- 
ains to  the  west  of  the  foothills.  This  gap  has  been  worn  almost  at 
right  angles  to  the  strike  of  the  formation.  The  first  stratum  seen  on 
entering  the  gap  is  shale,  and  is  very  similar  in  appearance  to  the  shale 
seen  at  the  entrance  to  Tar  Canon;  it  has  a  strike  of  75°  west  of  north. 
These  shales  rest  on  strata  of  fossiliferous  sandstone,  from  which  the 
following  species  were  obtained: 

Ostrea  titan,  Con Miocene. 

Ostren  hotirgeoisi,  Remond -.. Pliocene. 

Pertca  d incus,  Con Miocene. 

Trojilion  jxinderoxus,  (iabb.. Pliocene,  jMiocene. 

Tiirritella  hoffinanni,  Gahh - Miocene. 

Balanuis  estrellamis.  Con.. Miocene. 

Astrodapsin  antiselli.  Con , Pliocene. 

Some  of  the  lower  fossiliferous  strata,  like  those  seen  at  Tar  Caiion, 
must  at  one  time  have  contained  many  shells,  but  the  metamorphic 
action  w'hich  they  have  undergone  has  nearly  obliterated  the  fossils. 
The  sandstone  strata  show  a  dip  of  from  10°  to  20°  east  of  north,  the 
first  mentioned  direction  predominating;  the  dip  is  at  an  angle  of 
about  50°. 

As  the  South  Fork  of  the  Zapato  Chino  Creek  is  ascended,  the  sand- 
stone shows  increased  metamorphism.     About  one  half  mile  westward 


—  56  — 

from  the  gap  previously  mentioned,  the  mountains  are  timbered  with 
white  oak,  cottonwood,  and  cedar. 

A  short  distance  north  of  the  gap  through  which  the  Zapato  Chino 
Creek  enters  the  lower  foothills,  the  formation  is  soft,  reddish-brown 
sandstone.  The  direction  of  the  dip  of  this  sandstone  is  20°  east  of 
north,  and  at  an  angle  of  from  35°  to  40°.  Only  three  fossils  were  ob- 
tained in  this  sandstone,  viz: 

Liropecten  estreUanus,  Con Pliocene,  Miocene- 

Balanus  estreUanus,  Con .._ - - Miocene- 

Solen  rosaceus,  Carp Living,  Pliocene,  Miocene- 

At  the  junction  of  the  north  and  south  forks  of  the  Zapato  Chino 
Creek,  soft  bluish  Tertiary  sandstone  is  encountered.  The  direction  of 
the  dip  of  this  sandstone  is  25°  or  30°  east  of  north,  and  at  an  angle  of 
about  35°.     At  this  point  the  following  fossils  were  obtained: 

Balanus  estreUanus,  Gabb -- --- - - ...Miocene. 

Cardium  meekiamtm,  Con Pliocene,  Miocene. 

ScuteUa  gibbsi,  Rem -   Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Area  microdonta,  Con .-. Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Remarks  on  the  Geology  of  Tar  Canon  and  Kreyenhagen  Ranch. — The 
preponderance  of  Miocene  fossils  in  the  rocks  yielding  the  heavy  oil^ 
both  in  Tar  Canon  and  at  the  Kreyenhagen  ranch,  warrants  the 
assumption  that  the  bituminous  formations  exposed  in  these  localities 
belong  to  the  Miocene  group.  The  preponderance  of  Pliocene  fossils  in 
the  blue  sandstone  which  forms  the  lower  foothills,  and  which  overlies 
the  bituminous  formations,  is  probably  sufficient  to  indicate  that  the 
blue  sandstone  belongs  to  the  Pliocene  group.  The  direction  in  which 
the  blue  sandstone  strata  dip  does  not  appear  to  differ  very  much  from 
that  of  the  Miocene  rocks  on  which  they  rest,  but  the  angle  of  inclina- 
tion is  much  greater  in  the  latter  formation.  In  the  places  where  the 
observations  herein  recorded  were  made  the  friable  nature  of  the  soft 
sandstone  renders  it  impossible  to  estimate  the  direction  of  the  dip 
very  closely  by  surface  inspection.  The  average  of  several  observations^ 
is  therefore  given. 

OIL    CLAIMS    IN    FRESNO    COUNTY. 

As  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  the  accompanying  sketch-map,  there 
are  two  groups  of  oil  claims  near  Coalinga,  in  Fresno  County.  One  of 
these  groups  is  situated  a  little  more  than  3  miles  in  a  westerly  direction 
from  Coalinga,  and  the  other  is  about  9  miles  distant  in  a  northerly 
direction  from  the  same  place. 

The  oil  claims  west  of  Coalinga  cover  a  territory  which  lies  immedi- 
ately to  the  south  of  the  San  Joaquin  and  the  California  Coal  Mines. 
In  order  rightly  to  comprehend  the  situation,  it  is  necessary  to  refer  to 
these  mines.  In  the  slope  last  sunk  in  the  San  Joaquin  Coal  Mine,  a 
small  quantity  of  oil  was  struck  in  a  fossiliferous  stratum;  and  in  this 
mine  inflammable  gas  is  frequently  encountered.  Fossils  from  a  calca- 
reous sandstone  in  one  of  the  upper  tunnels  of  this  mine  were  classified 
by  Dr.  Cooper,  as  follows: 

Modiola  cylindrica,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

RimeUa  macilenta.  White -. Cretaceous  B. 

TeUina  ovoides,  Gabb - --- ..Cretaceous. 

Tapes  conradiana,  (iahh -- --- Cretaceous  B. 

TeUina  ashhurneri,  Gabb - ..Cretaceous. 


n 


0/    — 

Chione  varians,  Gabb.. - Cretaceous. 

Cardium  breweri,  Gabb -- - Cretaceous  B. 

Axiiva  veatchi,  Gabb.. - -. - .Cretaceous  A  and  B. 

TurriteUa  uvasana,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Ca rdiit m  linteum,  Gahh Cretaceous  B. 

Tellhia  hoffmanniana,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Ostrea  idriaensis,  Ga.hb Cretaceous  B. 

Aucella  piochii,  Gabb ..Cretaceous. 

Casts  of  Galerus  excentricus,  Gabb. Cretaceous. 

As  only  about  one  third  of  the  species  in  this  collection  belong  to  the 
"  B  "  series  of  Cretaceous  species,  Dr.  Cooper  is  of  the  opinion  that  the 
Coalinga  coal  measures  occupy  a  lower  position  in  the  Cretaceous  system 
than  that  to  which  the  coal  measures  of  Mount  Diablo  belong. 

The  California  Coal  Mine  is  about  one  mile  distant,  northwesterly^ 
from  the  San  Joaquin  Coal  Mine,  and  the  workings  of  both  mines 
evidently  penetrate  the  same  coal  measures.  From  a  dark-colored  clay 
which  forms  the  hanging  wall  near  the  end  of  the  tunnel  in  the  Cali- 
fornia Coal  Mine,  the  following  fossils  were  secured: 

Gyrodex  doweZK,  White. Cretaceous  B. 

Ciisocohts  diibius,  Gahh ..Cretaceous. 

Mijtilus  quadrat  It  ft,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Batissa  dubia,  White ..Cretaceous  B. 

Ostrea  idriaensis,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Galerus  excentricus,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Perna  excavata,  A\"hite Cretaceous. 

Some  new  species  were  also  obtained.  Dr.  Cooper  states  that  the 
fossils  from  the  California  Coal  Mine  tend  to  confirm  his  opinion  with 
regard  to  the  relative  age  of  the  Coalinga  and  Mount  Diablo  coal 
measures. 

From  these  fossils  Dr.  Cooper  refers  the  coal  measures  penetrated  by 
the  San  Joaquin  and  California  Coal  Mines  to  the  Chico  Tejon  group  of 
the  Cretaceous  system.  In  several  places  between  the  two  coal  mines 
the  formations  overlying  the  coal  measures  are  exposed.  The  most 
characteristic  rocks  that  can  be  seen  between  the  two  mines  are  a  peculiar 
whitish,  fine-grained,  soft  sandstone,  and  a  decomposed,  fossiliferous 
limestone.  This  limestone  is  exposed  at  Station  17  (see  sketch-map),, 
but  the  writer  was  able  to  obtain  only  two  fossils  which  were  sufficiently 
perfect  for  identification.  These  were  classified  by  Dr.  Cooper  as  prob- 
ably of  Pliocene  age: 

Galerus  diegoanus,  Con ..Living,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Modiola  capax,  Gould Living,  Pliocene. 

In  the  San  Joaquin  Coal  Mine  the  direction  of  the  dip  of  the  forma- 
tion is  65°  east  of  north,  and  the  angle  of  inclination  is  between  30°  and 
45°.  In  the  California  Coal  Mine  the  direction  of  the  dip  is  about  the 
same. 

Immediately  to  the  westward  of  the  San  Joaquin  Coal  Mine,  the  for- 
mations which  appear  to  underlie  the  coal  measures  are  exposed,  and 
consist  of  sandy  shale  and  soft  sandstone.  The  direction  of  their  dip  is 
55°  to  60°  east  of  north,  and  the  angle  of  inclination  appears  to  be  about 
50°.  These  sandy  strata  appear  to  rest  conformably  on  hard,  gray  sand- 
stone, which  becomes  dark-colored,  on  the  outside,  by  exposure. 

The  most  characteristic  features  of  this  hard,  gray  sandstone  are, 
that  it  splits  into  slabs  on  weathering,  and  the  plane  of  cleavage  ap- 


—  57  — 

Chione  varians,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Cardium  breweri,  Gabb - Cretaceous  B. 

Axinifa  veatchi,  Gabb .-. -- -- Cretaceous  A  and  B. 

Tiirritella  nvasana,  Gabb .- - ...Cretaceous. 

Cardium.  linteum,  Gabb Cretaceous  B. 

Tellina  hoffmanniana,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Ostrea  idriaeyisis,  GsLhh. Cretaceous  B. 

Aucella  piochii,  Gabb ...Cretaceous. 

Casts  of  Galerus  excentricus,  Gabb.  Cretaceous. 

As  only  about  one  third  of  the  species  in  this  collection  belong  to  the 
"  B  "  series  of  Cretaceous  species,  Dr.  Cooper  is  of  the  opinion  that  the 
Coalinga  coal  measures  occupy  a  lower  position  in  the  Cretaceous  system 
than  that  to  which  the  coal  measures  of  Mount  Diablo  belong. 

The  California  Coal  Mine  is  about  one  mile  distant,  northwesterly^ 
from  the  San  Joaquin  Coal  Mine,  and  the  workings  of  both  mines 
evidently  penetrate  the  same  coal  measures.  From  a  dark-colored  clay 
which  forms  the  hanging  wall  near  the  end  of  the  tunnel  in  the  Cali- 
fornia Coal  Mine,  the  following  fossils  were  secured: 

Gyrodes  dowelH,  ^yhite Cretaceous  B. 

Ciisocolns  ditbius,  Gahh Cretaceous. 

Mytihis  qiiadratus,  Gabb Cretaceous. 

Batissa  dubia,  White Cretaceous  B. 

Oittrea  idriaensis,  Gabb.. Cretaceous. 

Galerus  excentrims,  Gabb.. Cretaceous. 

Perna  excavata,  White Cretaceous. 

Some  new  species  were  also  obtained.  Dr.  Cooper  states  that  the 
fossils  from  the  California  Coal  Mine  tend  to  confirm  his  opinion  with 
regard  to  the  relative  age  of  the  Coalinga  and  Mount  Diablo  coal 
measures. 

From  these  fossils  Dr.  Cooper  refers  the  coal  measures  penetrated  by 
the  San  Joaquin  and  California  Coal  Mines  to  the  Chico  Tejon  group  of 
the  Cretaceous  system.  In  several  places  between  the  two  coal  mines 
the  formations  overlying  the  coal  measures  are  exposed.  The  most 
characteristic  rocks  that  can  be  seen  between  the  two  mines  are  a  peculiar 
whitish,  fine-grained,  soft  sandstone,  and  a  decomposed,  fossiliferous 
limestone.  This  limestone  is  exposed  at  Station  17  (see  sketch-map),, 
but  the  writer  was  able  to  obtain  only  two  fossils  which  were  sufficiently 
perfect  for  identification.  These  were  classified  by  Dr.  Cooper  as  prob- 
ably of  Pliocene  age: 

Galerus  diegoanus,  Con Living,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Modiola  capax,  Gould Living,  Pliocene. 

In  the  San  Joaquin  Coal  Mine  the  direction  of  the  dip  of  the  forma- 
tion is  65°  east  of  north,  and  the  angle  of  inclination  is  between  30°  and 
45°.  In  the  California  Coal  Mine  the  direction  of  the  dip  is  about  the 
same. 

Immediately  to  the  westward  of  the  San  Joaquin  Coal  Mine,  the  for- 
mations which  appear  to  underlie  the  coal  measures  are  exposed,  and 
consist  of  sandy  shale  and  soft  sandstone.  The  direction  of  their  dip  is 
55'^  to  60°  east  of  north,  and  the  angle  of  inclination  appears  to  be  about 
50°.  These  sandy  strata  appear  to  rest  conformably  on  hard,  gray  sand- 
stone, which  becomes  dark-colored,  on  the  outside,  by  exposure. 

The  most  characteristic  features  of  this  hard,  gray  sandstone  are, 
that  it  splits  into  slabs  on  weathering,  and  the  plane  of  cleavage  ap- 


—  58  — 

pears  to  coincide  with  the  lines  of  sedimentation  which  mark  the  original 
plane  of  bedding. 

This  gray  sandstone  is  well  exposed  at  Station  9,  and  can  be  traced 
thence  for  more  than  a  mile  both  to  the  northward  and  to  the  southward 
in  the  direction  of  its  strike.  It  is  apparently  unfossiliferous,  and  seems 
to  rest  conformably  on  a  sandstone  of  lighter  color,  which  is  remarkable 
for  the  numerous  concretions  which  it  contains.  These  concretions, 
which  stud  the  weathered  faces  of  the  inclosing  rock,  are  for  the  most 
part  round  in  form,  and  are  harder  than  their  sandstone  matrix.  There 
is  a  good  exposure  of  this  sandstone  at  the  point  marked  "  Stratified 
Peak,"  where  these  eccentric  concretions  look  like  bowlders  embedded  in 
the  sandstone.  A  short  distance  south  of  Stratified  Peak,  a  stratum  of 
coarse  conglomerate  extends  from  Station  6a  to  Station  6.  The  pebbles 
forming  this  conglomerate  are  quartzose  or  metamorphic,  and  are 
cemented  with  calcareous  material.  The  ridge  of  hills  on  which  the  con- 
glomerate crops  out  can  be  traced  as  far  south  as  Flag  B.  Southward 
from  Station  6  the  conglomerate  disappears  beneath  the  alluvium,  but 
outcroppings  of  grayish  concretionary  sandstone  can  be  followed  between 
Station  6  and  Flag  B.  At  Station  10,  similar  sandstone  shows  a  course 
of  50°  west  of  north.  A  short  distance  north  of  Flag  A,  a  white  sand- 
stone, similar  in  appearance  to  that  seen  between  the  California  and  San 
Joaquin  Coal  Mines,  is  exposed.  This  sandstone  has  a  striking  re- 
semblance to  that  found  south  of  the  cabin  near  the  gypsum  mine,  in 
T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.  (see  sketch-map);  also  at  Station  27  north  of  Salt 
Marsh,  near  the  Sunset  Oil  Wells,  in  Kern  County.  South  of  Flag  A, 
the  soft  sandstones  and  sandy  shales  extend  much  farther  to  the  west- 
ward; and  it  is  this  portion  of  the  foothills  {i.  e.,  the  portion  lying  south- 
east of  Flag  A  and  north  of  the  railroad  between  Coalinga  and  Alcalde) 
which  has  been  taken  up  as  oil-bearing  territory.  At  Station  1  there  is 
a  soft,  iron-stained  sandstone,  traversed  by  seams  of  gypsum,  and  over- 
laid by  a  stratum  of  clayey  limestone,  from  which  were  obtained  the 
following  fossils: 

Galerus  filosus,  Gabb - -..Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Sa.ridonus  gibhosus,  Gabb .- Pliocene. 

Tapes  staleiji,  Gabb -  -  Pliocene. 

South  of  Station  1  the  formation  is  soft  sandstone,  dipping  apparently 
about  70°  east  of  north.  If  the  dip  of  this  formation  is  70°  or  thereabouts, 
it  does  not  conform  to  what  seems  to  be  the  dip  of  the  stratum  from  which 
the  fossils  were  obtained  at  Station  1.  It  is  impossible,  however,  to  de- 
termine exactly  the  dip  of  these  formations  from  surface  observation,  on 
account  of  their  incoherent  nature  and  the  broken  character  of  the  out- 
cropping rocks. 

At  Station  2  a  fossiliferous  stratum  is  exposed;  but  the  specimens 
obtained  therefrom  were  not  sufficiently  perfect  for  identification. 

At  Station  3  there  is  a  spring  of  tar-like  oil,  which  is  accompanied  by 
a  small  quantity  of  brine.  Farther  down  the  caiion  in  which  Station  3 
is  situated,  there  are  several  brine  and  sulphur  springs;  and  the  forma- 
tion changes  to  sandy  and  earthy  shales,  which  are  interstratified  with 
soft  sandstone  and  impure  limestone.  At  Station  4  the  direction  of  the 
dip  of  these  shales  is  80°  east  of  north,  and  the  angle  of  inclination  is 
about  40°. 

In  the  canon  farther  to  the  northwest  (see  sketch-map)  similar  earthy 


—  59  — 

and  sandy  shales  are  exposed.  In  this  caiion  observations  were  made 
at  two  places,  and  the  direction  of  the  dip  of  the  formation  was  found  to 
be  65*^  east  of  north,  and  the  angle  of  inclination  about  50°.  These 
shales  are  interstratified  with  thin  strata  of  concretionary  sandstone, 
impure  limestone,  and  coarse  conglomerate;  and  in  one  place  a  stratum 
containing  numerous  small  fragments  of  shells  was  observed.  The 
country  in  this  direction  consists  of  grazing  lands,  and  the  superficial 
deposit  of  alluvium  is  very  deep.  At  Station  11,  massive  strata  of  con- 
cretionary sandstone  are  exposed. 

In  traveling  eastward  to  the  station  marked  Little  Peak,  it  was  found 
that  the  soft  shales  and  sandstones  gave  place  to  a  fine  conglomerate. 
The  direction  of  the  dip  of  this  conglomerate  is  70°  east  of  south.  The 
writer  is  informed  that  there  are  seepages  of  oil  and  outcroppings  of  coal 
in  the  canon  which  extends  from  the  station  marked  Little  Peak  toward 
the  cabin. 

At  Little  Peak  a  fossiliferous  stratum  of  sandy  limestone  dips  70° 
east  of  south,  from  which  the  following  fossils  were  obtained: 

Area  viicrodonta.  Con ..- Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Axinira  patula,  Con :Miocene. 

Cardium  quadragenarium,  Con Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene. 

Dodnia  conradi,  Gabb Pliocene. 

Galerus  dieqoanus,  Con - Living,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Galerns  lilo'sns.  Gabb Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Luiricofa  n/<a.  Con Living,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Macoina  inq%iinata,  Desh Living,  Pliocene. 

Neptunea  recurva,  Gabb Miocene. 

Pholadidea  penita,  Con... Living,  Pliocene. 

Saxidomus  gibbosiis,  Gabb Pliocene. 

Solen  rosaceus,  Carp Living,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Stand ella  falcata,  Gould Living,  Pliocene. 

Tapes  staleyi,  Gabb Pliocene. 

At  Station  20,  in  the  railroad  cutting,  strata  of  sandstone  and  con- 
glomerate are  exposed,  from  which  specimens  of  Mytilus  matheiosoni 
were  obtained.  At  Station  13,  in  the  first  tier  of  foothills  bordering  the 
valley  lands,  there  are  outcroppings  of  pulverulent  gypsum.  In  this 
ridge  the  following  fossils  were  obtained: 

Mya  arenaria,  Linn Living,  Pliocene. 

Mytilus  mathewsoni,  Gabb ...Miocene. 

Pecten  nevadanus,  Con Miocene. 

Pseudocardlum  gabhi,  Rem Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Sadella  gihbsi,  Rem Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Remarks  on  the  Geology  of  the  Hills  in  which  the  Coed  Mines  and  the 
Oil  Claims  West  of  Coalinga  are  Situated. — From  the  foregoing  it  is 
apparent  that  two  geological  systems  are  represented  in  the  territory 
described.  To  the  first  are  strata  belonging  to  the  Cretaceous  system, 
to  which  the  coal  measures  penetrated  by  the  San  Joa([uin  and  the  Cali- 
fornia Coal  Mines  belong.  It  is  probable  that  the  sandy  and  earthy 
shales  which  are  exposed  at  Station  4,  and  in  the  canon  westward 
therefrom,  are  of  the  same  geologic  age.  To  the  second  belong  the 
Tertiary  strata,  which  constitute  the  foothills  immediately  bordering 
the  valley  lands,  and  which  are  also  found  resting  on  Cretaceous  rocks. 
A  review  of  the  collection  of  fossils  made  in  this  locality  shows  that 
they  may  be  classified  according  to  the  vertical  range  of  their  species,  as 
follows: 


—  60  — 

Miocene .31    m 

Pliocene,  Miocene 4     lOfPecies  ranging 

Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene 2  \       backward  to  the 

Living,  Quaternary,  Pliocene,  Miocene ij        Miocene. 

Pliocene ' 2)    -r>i- 

Living,  Pliocene 5  !'    7  Pliocene. 

The  preponderance  of  Miocene  forms  indicates  that  the  Tertiary  forma- 
tions of  the  district  under  consideration  belong  to  that  group. 

OIL    CLAIMS    NINE    MILES    NORTH    OF    COALINGA. 

This  oil  territory  is  subdivided  by  oil  claims  throughout  an  area  of 
about  12  square  miles.  To  the  westward  of  this  area  a  ridge  of  reddish- 
brown,  compact  sandstone  (Station  X;  see  sketch-map)  runs  nearly 
north  and  south,  and  is  separated  from  the  main  Coast  Range  by  a 
valley  which  is  a  few  hundred  feet  in  depth.  The  surface  of  this  ridge 
is  covered  with  protruding  weatherworn  crags  of  sandstone,  many  of 
which  split  into  slabs,  and  the  plane  in  which  the  sandstone  cleaves  is 
apparently  coincident  with  the  lines  of  sedimentation  which  mark  the 
plane  of  its  original  bedding.  The  summit  of  this  ridge  has  an  altitude 
of  about  2,300  feet.  Although  this  ridge  was  carefully  inspected,  no 
strata  were  found  sufficiently  well  defined  to  enable  one  to  estimate  the 
dip  and  strike  of  the  formation.  The  sandstone  composing  this  ridge 
contains  rounded  concretions,  and  resembles  that  found  to  the  westward 
of  the  San  Joaquin  and  the  California  Coal  Mines,  which  is  probably 
Cretaceous.  * 

Between  this  ridge  and  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  are  tier  after  tier  of 
foothills.  Their  surface  is  covered  with  alluvium,  and  deeply  furrowed 
with  gulches  and  ravines,  and  here  and  there  patches  of  the  underlying 
rocks  are  exposed.  First  in  order  are  seen  drab  and  slate-colored  patches 
and  slopes,  marking  the  formation  in  which  the  oil  wells  are  bored. 
This  formation  consists,  for  the  most  part,  of  sandy  or  earthy  shales 
and  soft  sandstones. 

The  oil  obtained  from  these  wells  is  of  a  remarkably  low  specific 
gravity.  (See  table  of  oil  analyses.)  Farther  eastward  are  whitish 
hills,  which  are  composed  of  light-colored  shale  yielding  a  heavy,  tar- 
like oil.  These  light-colored  shales  appear  to  have  been  subject  to  con- 
siderable geological  disturbance,  and  wavy  lines,  caused  by  the  curious 
contortions  of  their  strata,  are  noticeable  through  the  scanty  herbage 
with  which  the  hills  are  covered.  Still  farther  in  the  eastern  distance 
are  seen  drab-colored  and  whitish  escarpments,  which  expose  Tertiary 
strata  dipping  in  an  easterly  direction  toward  the  San  Joaquin  Valley. 
This  latter  formation,  in  the  lower  strata  of  which  the  gypsum  mine 
hereinafter  described  is  situated,  appears  to  rest  unconformably  on  the 
light-colored  shales.  (See  illustration.)  The  last  tier  of  hills  seen  to 
the  eastward  consists  of  grassy  slopes;  and  these  subside  into  the  mesa 
lands  which  form  the  western  boundary  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley. 
The  most  easterly  outlying  foothills  are  principally  formed  of  soft  bluish 
sandstone,  similar  to  that  found  at  the  Kettleman  Hills  and  the  Krayen- 
hagen  ranch.  Turning  to  the  westward  the  eye  falls  on  the  more  lofty 
elevations  of  the  Coast  Range,  which  culminate  at  the  point  marked 
"Apparent  apex  of  main  range"  in  the  sketch-map. 

Descending  from  the  sandstone  ridge  to  the  head  of  a  caiion  leading 
to  the  oil  wells,  a  point  is  reached  where  a  tunnel  has  been  run  into  the 


^:       .^^ 


will-  Contortions  of  Strata.    Xine  miles  nortli  of 
( 'oalinga,  Fresno  County. 


Contact,  showing  Xon-Conformity  of  Light-Colored  Bituminous  Shales  and  Miocene 
Strata  which  rest  upon  them.    Nine  miles  nortli  of  Coalinga,  Fresno  County. 


^IP 

11)^ 

K^ 

«  '  v^^f!^ 

"•^r     \1 

1 

':%^^ 

''^K 

n. 

^^^V' 

3^ 

iJ^H 

V    ^n~ 


^y- 


i 


<'yji>uni  .Mine,  nine  miio  iinnii  oi  <  oaimga,  Fre>no  i  ouniy. 


—  61  — 

sandstone  for  water.  At  the  time  of  the  writer's  visit  this  tunnel  could 
not  be  explored,  as  the  water  it  yielded  had  been  dammed  up  in  the 
tunnel,  forming  a  reservoir  to  supply  sheep-troughs  erected  near  by. 
The  water  is  very  hard.  At  Station  25  the  slate-colored  shales  can  be 
seen  in  contact  with  the  sandstone,  but  the  exposure  is  a  poor  one. 

In  the  canon  which  leads  in  a  southeasterly  direction  from  the  sheep- 
troughs,  the  formation  is  dark-colored  shale  and  soft  sandstone.  These 
rocks  are  interstratified  with  a  few  thin  courses  of  impure  limestone; 
and  in  some  places  the  shale  exhibits  a  variety  of  strike  and  dip  within 
a  small  area.  At  one  point,  however,  a  sandy  shale,  which  appears  to 
be  in  place,  shows  a  dip  of  50°  east  of  south,  and  an  angle  of  inclination 
of  about  35°.  It  is  probable  that  these  figures  approximately  represent 
the  prevailing  dip  of  the  dark-colored  shales.  Farther  to  the  northward, 
slopes  of  slate-colored  shale  are  exposed,  in  which  there  are  several 
springs  of  sulphuretted  water.  This  bluish  shale  extends  to  the  ridge 
of  hard,  concretionary  sandstone  previously  mentioned.  Shortly  before 
reaching  the  hard  sandstone  ridge,  this  shale  is  traversed  by  a  few  strata 
of  soft  sandstone;  it  is  so  at  Station  24,  and  in  one  place  a  thin  stratum 
of  magnesian  limestone  crops  out.  It  is  in  these  dark-colored  shales 
that  the  oil  wells  have  been  bored.  The  wells  marked  "  oil  wells  "  in  the 
accompanying  sketch-map  are  situated  in  a  depression  in  the  hills. 
There  are  five  of  these  wells,  namely: 

One  4-inch  well,  in  which  an  oil  of  low  specific  gravity  stands  within 
32  feet  of  the  surface,  and  inflammable  gas  bubbles  freely  through  the 
oil.     (See  table  of  oil  analyses.) 

One  4-inch  well,  plugged. 

One  7-inch  well,  plugged. 

One  14-inch  well,  from  which  oil  and  water  flow,  and  inflammable 
gas  rises.  In  November,  1893,  this  well  was  burning  fiercely,  and  a 
small  stream  of  mineral  water  and  a  little  oil  flowed  from  the  top  of 
the  casing.     (See  table  of  water  analyses.) 

One  10-inch  well,  plugged. 

The  formations  immediately  overlying  the  strata  pierced  by  the  oil 
wells  are  exposed  along  the  road  leading  to  Coalinga,  which  runs 
through  a  caiion  to  the  eastward  of  the  oil  wells.  First,  a  dark-colored 
shale  is  seen,  the  laminae  of  which  are  separated  by  an  ocherous 
material.  Overlying  this  shale  are  thin  strata  of  fissile  sandstones 
and  impure  limestones;  and  overlying  these  are  light-colored  bitumin- 
ous shales,  resembling  the  light-colored  bituminous  shales  seen  at 
Asphalto,  and  at  the  Sunset  Oil  District,  in  Kern  County.  The  light- 
colored  shales  of  Coalinga,  like  those  of  Kern  County,  are  very  silicious, 
and  vary  in  color  from  drab  to  almost  white.  Two  specimens  were 
examined,  which,  in  round  figures,  showed  as  follows: 


' 

I'erueniage  oi 

Percentage 

Silica 

Total 

of  Speci- 

Contained in 

Amount  of 

mens 

Specimen. 

Silica 

Insoluble 

which  was  Sol- 

Contained 

in  Acid. 

uble  in  Sodium 
Carbonate. 

in  Specimen. 

(a) 90         I  Not  determined.  80 

(b) 91  I  27  86 


—  62  — 

Sample  a  was  a  drab-colored  shale;  it  also  contained  7.5  per  cent  of 
iron  and  aluminum  (weighed  together  as  sesqui-oxides).  The  specimen 
showed  quantitatively  calcium  and  magnesium. 

Sample  h  was  a  soft,  white  shale  containing  marine  diatoms.  It 
showed  qualitatively  similar  constituents  to  sample  a,  but  alumina  was 
only  present  in  traces. 

In  this  formation  the  scales  of  fish  and  a  few  bones  of  small  fish  were 
found;  also  several  casts  of  Pecten  pecl-Jiavii  (Gabb),  Mioc. 

As  shown  in  the  sketch-map,  there  is  a  spring  of  heavy  oil  in  this 
canon  (see  table  of  oil  analyses);  and  immediately  above  the  spring  a 
bituminous  sandstone  is  exposed.  The  prevailing  direction  of  the  dip 
of  the  formations  cut  through  by  this  caiion  appears  to  be  approximately 
15"  east  of  south. 

Returning  to  the  oil  wells  the  writer  explored  the  little  canons  leading 
up  the  side  of  the  hills  which  rise  immediately  to  the  southeast  of  the 
oil  wells.  The  formation  exposed  in  these  canons  is  principally  earthy 
and  sandy  shales  containing  crystallized  gypsum.  At  Station  22  a 
stratum  of  clayey  limestone  shows  a  dip  of  70°  east  of  south,  and  the 
angle  of  inclination  is  about  35°.  From  this  clayey  limestone  the  fol- 
lowing fossils  were  obtained: 

Discohelix  leana,  Ga,hh -  Cretaceous  A. 

Turritella  saffordi,  Gabb Cretaceous  A. 

At  Stations  21  and  21a,  a  stratum  of  calcareous  sandstone  is  exposed, 
which  dips  in  the  same  direction  as  the  clayey  limestone  noted  at  Sta- 
tion 22.  From  this  calcareous  sandstone  several  fossils  were  secured,, 
which  were  determined  by  Dr.  Cooper  to  be: 

Axiniea  sagiUata,  Gabb - - Cretaceous  B. 

Ficopsis  cooper i,  Gabb Cretaceous  B. 

Turritella  itvasana,  Gabb _-. Cretaceous  A. 

Tritonium  californicum,  Gabb Cretaceous  B. 

Farther  eastward  the  formation  changes  to  the  light-colored,  porous, 
silicious  shales  previously  described.  These  shales  may  be  seen  cropping 
out  near  the  summits  of  some  of  the  hills.  The  best  opportunity  for 
examining  them,  however,  is  in  a  little  caiion  which  leads  off  in  a  north- 
easterly direction  from  the  caiion  traversed  by  the  road  running  between 
the  oil  wells  and  Coalinga.  In  this  subsidiary  caiion  the  light-colored 
shales  are  well  exposed;  a  heavy,  tar-like  oil  and  sulphuretted  water 
ooze  from  the  shale  in  several  places,  and  a  small  amount  of  asphaltum 
has  been  formed.  This  light-colored  shale  is  much  contorted  and  shows 
a  huge  fold,  which  extends  across  the  little  caiion.  (See  illustration.) 
At  this  point  the  dip  of  the  shale  varies  from  15°  east  of  south  to  25° 
west  of  south.  In  the  northern  extremity  of  this  canon  the  strike  of  the 
shale  is  50°  east  of  south,  and  the  dip  northerly. 

On  the  summit  of  the  adjacent  hills  the  shale  is  bent  and  flattened. 
About  li  miles  southeast  of  the  burning  well  another  canon  extends 
in  a  northeasterly  and  southwesterly  direction.  It  is  in  this  canon  that 
the  gypsum  mine,  hereinafter  described,  is  situated.  Shortly  before 
reaching  the  cabin  belonging  to  the  owners  of  the  gypsum  mine,  the 
light-colored  shale  is  cut  through  by  a  road  leading  to  the  mine.  At 
Station  33  there  is  a  spring  of  sulphuretted  water  and  tar-like  oil. 
The  shale  shows  a  dip  of  85°  west  of  north,  and  an  angle  of  inclination 
of  about  40°.      Following  up  the  bed  of  this  caiion  the  light-colored 


—  63  — 

shales  show  evidence  of  great  disturbance;  the  direction  of  its  dip  varies 
from  15^  to  70°  east  of  south,  and  the  angle  of  inclination  varies  from 
35°  to  more  than  80°.  Near  the  upper  end  of  the  canon  the  dip  of  the 
shale  is  10°  east  of  north,  at  an  angle  of  70°,  and  a  little  farther  north- 
ward it  is  5°  west  of  north,  at  an  angle  of  80°.  At  the  upper  extremity 
of  the  canon  the  dip  is  35°  east  of  north,  and  the  angle  of  inclination 
is  60°.  Toward  the  upper  end  of  this  canon  there  are  two  or  three 
seepages  of  sulphuretted  water,  and  the  shale  is  indurated  with  silica. 
These  shales  are  overlaid  by  strata  of  soft  sandstone  and  conglomerate, 
which  have  a  dip  of  50°  east  of  south,  at  an  angle  of  apparently  not 
more  than  25°.  (See  illustration.)  Immediately  to  the  eastward  of 
the  cabin  belonging  to  the  Gypsum  Company  are  bluffs  of  soft  friable 
sandstone.  The  upper  portion  of  this  sandstone  is  light-colored,  but 
the  lower  portion  is  black,  weathering  to  gray  on  the  outside.  This 
sandstone  resembles  sandstone  seen  near  the  asphaltum  mines  in  Kern 
County.  It  is  in  the  formation  immediately  overlying  the  contorted 
shales,  and  about  50  feet  above  the  bottom  of  the  above-mentioned 
caiion,  that  the  gypsum  mine,  which  at  the  date  of  visit  was  being 
worked,  is  situated. 

THE    COALINGA    GYPSUM    MINE.  ^ 

This  mine  was  opened  in  November,  1892,  and  is  owned  by  Hall, 
Doverall  &  Lavelle,  of  Visalia,  who  erected  a  mill  at  Coalinga  for  grind- 
ing the  rock.  The  workings  at  this  mine  consist  of  two  open  cuts.  At 
one  of  these  cuts,  which  has  been  made  for  a  distance  of  about  60  feet  in 
the  hillside,  the  stratum  which  is  being  mined  is  about  10  feet  in  thick- 
ness. The  foot  wall  is  soft  sandstone,  and  the  hanging  wall,  light-colored 
shale.  The  formation  dips  from  45°  to  50°  east  of  south  at  an  angle  of 
not  more  than  20°,  perhaps  not  so  much.  At  the  other  open  cut,  which 
is  probably  100  yards  south  of  and  25  feet  below  the  cut  already  described, 
there  are  two  distinct  strata  from  which  the  gypseous  material  is  obtained. 
These  strata  are  separated  by  light-colored,  sandy  shale  and  clayey  and 
calcareous  matter.  The  writer  is  informed  that  about  500  tons  of  mate- 
rial have  been  taken  from  these  mines,  and  that  it  finds  ready  sale  as 
land-plaster  in  Tulare  and  Fresno  Counties.  The  summit  of  the  hill  in 
which  the  gypsum  mine  is  situated  is  marked  Flag  H  in  the  accompany- 
ing sketch-map.  Near  the  top  of  the  hill  there  are  outcroppings  of  rock 
very  similar  in  appearance  to  that  which  is  being  taken  out  of  the 
gypsum  mine. 

A  short  distance  below  this  summit,  the  hillside  is  traversed  by  fos- 
siliferous  strata,  principally  calcareous  sandstone.  Fossils  obtained  from 
these  strata  proved  principally  to  consist  of  Miocene  species,  as  follows: 

Ajrina'a  patula,  Con Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Dosinia  conradi,  Ciabb- Miocene. 

Mytilus  mathew soni,  (j&bh Miocene. 

Ostrea  titan,  Con Miocene. 

Ostrea  bourgeohi,  Remond Pliocene. 

Pecten  iievadaniis,  Con Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Balami.i  estrellanus,  Con.. -.. Miocene. 

Scutella  gibbsi,  Rem Pliocene,  Miocene. 

It  is  said  that  gypsum  was  also  formerly  mined  at  the  point  marked 
Station  27;  but  the  writer  is  informed  that  so  much  material  which 
was  not  gypsum  was  shipped,  that  the  work  had  to  be  abandoned. 
An  old  sled  road  marks  the  scene  of  former  mining.     There  are  several 


—  64  — 

openings  not  very  far  away,  around  which  a  white  rock,  which  may  con- 
tain gypsum,  is  piled  up.  The  formations  which  rest  unconformably 
on  the  light-colored  shales  in  this  locality,  are  composed  of  soft  sand- 
stones and  calcareous  and  gypseous  strata,  some  of  which  are  fossiliferous, 
as  previously  noted.  Conspicuous  amongst  the  sandstones  is  a  peculiar, 
white  sandstone  similar  to  that  observed  near  Station  1,  in  the  oil  dis- 
trict southwest  of  Coalinga,  and  at  Salt  Marsh,  in  Kern  County. 

About  half  a  mile  in  a  northeasterly  direction  from  the  gypsum  mines 
a  deep  canon  leads  in  an  easterly  direction,  and  at  one  point  therein 
contorted  silicious  shales  are  exposed.  In  this  canon  there  is  also  a 
spring  of  mineral  water,  from  which  sheep-troughs  are  supplied.  This 
canon  cuts  through  a  ridge  of  sandstone  and  calcareous  strata,  which 
dip  in  an  easterly  direction,  and  appear  to  rest  somewhat  unconforma- 
bly on  the  formation  in  which  the  gypsum  mine  is  situated;  but  the 
strike  and  dip  of  these  soft,  sandy  rocks  are  very  difficult  to  determine 
with  accuracy,  especially  when  they  are  much  eroded.  The  strata  form- 
ing the  ridge  are  very  regular,  and  lie  conformably  on  one  another  with 
no  signs  of  folding  or  contortion.  The  formation  comprising  this  ridge 
was  examined  at  points  marked  Flag  K  and  Stations  30  and  32.  From 
the  calcareous  sandy  strata  at  the  points  named  the  following  fossils 
were  obtained: 

Ostreatitan,  Con Miocene. 

Liropecten  crassicardo,  Con Miocene. 

Liropecten  estrellamis,  Con ..Miocene. 

Balanus  estrellanus,  Con ...Miocene. 

Tamiosoma  gregaria,  Con Miocene. 

Pecten  discus,  Con ..Pliocene,  Miocene. 

In  some  places  these  shell-beds  are  composed  almost  entirely  of  the 
species  named.  It  is  said  that  these  fossiliferous  formations  can  be 
traced  for  a  distance  of  more  than  two  miles.  The  writer  was  informed 
that  there  is  a  seepage  of  oil  in  a  canon  to  the  northeast  of  Flag  K,  but 
he  could  not  find  it. 

At  Station  31  an  escarpment  of  soft  sandstone  is  exposed,  forming  a 
cliff  of  about  200  feet  in  height.  This  sand  is  brownish,  and  is  inter- 
stratified  with  black  sand,  and  contains  seams  of  gypsum;  some  of  the 
strata  of  black  sand  are  quite  thick.  The  only  organic  remains  which 
could  be  found  in  this  formation  are  logs  of  silicified  wood.  Some  por- 
tions of  the  clitf  show  numerous  concretions  in  the  process  of  formation. 
A  spherical  shell  of  gypsum  or  oxide  of  iron  forms  around  a  mass  of 
sand,  the  inclosed  mass  appearing  to  grow  harder  and  harder  by  the 
action  of  infiltering  water,  until  a  nodule  is  formed.  This  formation 
rests  on  strata  of  light-colored,  sandy  clays  and  strata  of  fine  conglom- 
erate; it  dips  60*^  east  of  south,  at  an  angle  of  about  20°. 

After  crossing  about  14  miles  of  grazing  land  in  an  easterly  direction, 
a  low  range  of  hills  is  reached  at  Station  34.  The  formation  is  soft, 
grayish-blue  sandstone;  the  dip  appears  to  be  80°  east  of  north,  and  at 
an  angle  of  about  20°.    At  this  station  the  following  fossils  were  obtained: 

Cardium  corbis,  Martyn Living,  Pliocene. 

Cardium  meekiamim,  Gabb Pliocene,  Miocene. 

ColnmbeUa  richthofeni,  Gabb Pliocene. 

Macoma  edulis,  Nut Living,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Margarita  pupilla,  Gould Living,  Quaternary. 

Mytilus  mathewsoni,  Gabb Miocene. 

Nassa  californica,  Con Living,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Fecten  islandicus,  Mull - Living,  Pliocene. 


—  65  — 

Saxidoynus  gibbosus,  Gould - Pliocene. 

SchizotJuerus  nuttali,  Con Living,  Pliocene. 

Balanus  estrellanus,  Con .- Miocene, 

At  Station  37  soft  blue  sandstone  is  again  exposed,  but  the  only- 
fossils  found  at  this  point  were: 

Galerus  diegonnn.i,  Con. Living,  Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Modiola  capas,  Gould .Living,  Pliocene. 

Scutella  gibbsi,  Rem Pliocene,  Miocene. 

Balanus  estrellanus,  Con.  . Miocene. 

The  soft  bluish  sandstone  is  again  seen  at  Station  35,  where  it  is 
interstratified  with  fine  pebbles.  The  dip  of  the  formation  appears  to 
be  very  slightly  north  of  east,  and  at  a  very  low  angle.  The  last  tier  of 
foothills  is  reached  at  Station  16,  at  an  altitude  of  about  825  feet. 

Remarks  on  the  Geological  Formations  of  the  Oil  District  Nine  Miles 
North  of  Coalinga. — From  the  foregoing  it  is  obvious  that  the  formations 
exposed  in  this  oil  district  represent  several  epochs  in  the  geological 
history  of  the  Coast  Range,  and  may  be  enumerated  in  what  appears 
to  be  the  order  of  their  superposition,  as  follows: 

Cretaceous: 

1.  Concretionary  sandstone,  unfossiliferous. 

2.  Slate-colored  shales  passing  into  earthy  or  sandy  shales,  with  strata 
of  soft  sandstone.     This  formation  contains  oil  of  low  specific  gravity, 
and  in  the  uppermost  strata  of  it  late  Cretaceous  shells  are  found. 
Miocene: 

3.  Light-colored  porous  silicious  shales,  which  yield  heavy,  tar-like 
oil  and  asphaltum.  The  only  fossils  found  in  these  shales  were  Pecten 
peckhami  (a  Miocene  fossil),  a  few  fish  bones,  and  marine  diatoms. 

4.  Soft  sandstones  and  calcareous  and  gypseous  strata,  containing 
Miocene  fossils.  These  rocks  appear  to  rest  unconformably  on  the 
light-colored  silicious  shales,  but  their  slight  angle  of  inclination  raises 
a  suspicion  that  they  may  belong  to  a  series  of  strata  which  are  higher 
in  the  order  of  upward  vertical  range  than  their  position  with  regard  to 
the  light-colored  shales  might  lead  one  to  suppose. 

5.  Sandy  formations  containing  immense  numbers  of  Ostrea  titan, 
Liropecten,  and  Tamiosoma. 

6.  Soft  brown  and  black  sands,  containing  numerous  logs  of  petrified 
wood. 

Pliocene: 

7.  Soft  bluish-gray  sandstone  and  fine  conglomerate,  containing  Ter- 
tiary fossils.  The  fossils  collected  in  these  sandstones  show  a  prepon- 
derance of  species  which  have  a  vertical  range  extending  ui)ward  from 
the  Miocene  group.  Some  idea  as  to  the  thickness  of  the  Tertiary 
formations  overlying  the  light-colored  shales  may  be  gathered  from  the 
accompanying  sectional  sketch,  which  represents  a  cross-section  from 
Station  36,  in  the  foothills,  to  the  concretionary  sandstone  beneath  the 
dark-colored  shales  in  which  the  oil  wells  are  bored. 

Records  of  Wells  ^ohirJi  hare  been  Bored  in  the  Oil  District  Nine  Miles 
North  of  Coalinga. — Opinions  differ  as  to  the  results  which  have  been 
attained  by  boring  in  this  district,  and  various  reasons  are  given  for  the 
wells  being  plugged  or  abandoned.  The  following  is  all  the  data  con- 
cerning these  wells  whicli  it  has  been  possible  to  gather: 

The  first  well  of  which  any  record  is  extant,  was  sunk  several  years 
5m 


—  66  — 

ago  by  the  Coast  Range  Oil  Company,  of  Los  Angeles.  This  well  is  one  of 
the  group  marked  on  the  sketch-map.  The  formation  penetrated  is  as 
follows: 

Dark-colored  shale,  containing  a  small  amount  of  green  oil  and  inflammable  gas  65  feet. 
Soft,  light-colored  sandstone,  and  a  thin  stratum  of  limestone;  altogether 50  feet. 

At  this  depth  there  was  a  great  increase  in  the  amount  of  gas. 
Dark-colored  shale 163  feet. 

This  shale  contained  a  little  green  oil  and  much  gas. 

Beneath  the  shale  a  dark-colored  sandstone  was  struck,  from  which 
a  greenish  oil  of  light  specific  gravity  rose  to  the  surface  and  flowed 
slightly.  A  windmill  pump  was  attached  to  this  well,  and  10  barrels  of 
oil  were  pumped  from  it  daily  for  two  days.  The  third  day,  the  well 
yielded  7  barrels  of  oil. 

Another  gentleman,  who  bored  one  of  the  4-inch  wells,  has  been  kind 
enough  to  supply  the  following  record: 

Alluvial  soil.- -. -- 30  feet. 

Black  shale -- - -- --  100  feet. 

Soft  sandrock 20  feet. 

Black  shale  .- - --.     45  feet. 

Sandstone -. . - -     15  feet. 

Shale - -- -  - 50  feet. 

Oil  sand... 10  feet. 

Black  shale —  105  feet. 

Total  depth  of  well 400  feet. 

This  well  was  tested  by  pumping,  and  was  found  to  yield  from  8  to  10 
barrels  daily.  The  gentleman  who  tested  the  4-inch  well  states  that  the 
10-inch  well  previously  mentioned  is  about  650  feet  in  depth,  and  that 
he  thinks  it  yielded  about  40  barrels  of  oil  a  day.  He  also  says  that 
one  of  the  other  wells  is  500  feet  deep,  but  that  it  was  never  pumped. 


TH/CKNESS . 


SEC  TIDN  SHOh/INC  ^PPffOX/MffTEL  V   THE  MffXfMUM 
LICHTCOLOREO  SHflLES  "£"^^  SUNSET  OIL    D/S  TRICT.KERN COUNTy. 


JECT/ON  flCROSS  O/LD/ STRICT   N  or  COffUNCff 
TERTIflRV  -  rORMRTION 


67  — 


SECTION  or  TERT/fJRr  STR/JTfJ  //v  METTLEMffN  H/LLS. 


REMARKS    ON    THE     OIL-YIELDING    AND     GAS-YIELDING     FORMATIONS     IN     THE 
CENTRAL    VALLEY    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

We  have  now  traced  the  occurrence  of  oil  and  gas  in  both  the  Sacra- 
mento and  the  San  Joaquin  Valleys,  and  can  see  how  the  geological 
conditions  under  which  the  gas  is  found  in  the  Sacramento  Valley  com- 
pare with  the  geological  conditions  under  which  it  is  found  in  the  valley 
of  the  San  Joaquin.  In  the  foothills  of  the  Sacramento  Valley,  gas  and 
oil  are  found  in  Cretaceous  formations,  and  gas  is  noted  issuing  from 
deep  wells  which  penetrate  the  Quaternary  filling  of  the  valley.  In  the 
foothills  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  gas  and  oil  are  found  in  formations 
of  both  Cretaceous  and  Tertiary  age;  and  inflammable  gas  is  observed 
issuing  in  quantities  of  commercial  value  from  deep  wells  penetrating 
the  Quaternary  filling  of  the  valley.  We  have  seen  that  wells  penetrat- 
ing the  Upper  Cretaceous  strata  north  of  Coalinga  yielded  inflammable 
gas  and  an  oil  of  a  peculiarly  low  specific  gravity.  The  Cretaceous  for- 
mation no  doubt  underlies  the  whole  of  the  Central  Valley  of  California. 
As  previously  stated,  rocks  of  this  age  can  be  traced  on  both  sides  of  the 
Sacramento  Valley.  In  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  Cretaceous  rocks  have 
been  observed  as  far  south  as  the  Tejon  Pass.  The  writer  has  found 
fossils  of  this  age  in  San  Emidio  Canon,  in  the  foothills  near  Coalinga, 
and  near  Merced  Falls  in  Merced  County.  At  the  latter  place  (see  our 
Xlth  Report  p.  257),  there  is  a  range  of  low  hills  of  sandstone,  from 
which  specimens  of  Cardita  planicosta  were  obtained,  showing  the  for- 
mation to  belong  to  the  Cretaceous  B  (Chico  Tejon)  series. 

The  principal  showing  of  Tertiary  hydrocarbons  on  the  western  side 
of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  is  found  in  what  appears  to  be  the  lowest 
formation  belonging  to  the  Tertiary  system.  As  previously  noted,  these 
lower  Tertiary  strata  consist  of  a  peculiar,  porous,  silicious  shale,  which 
yields  a  heavy,  tar-like  oil.  Heavy  oils  are  also  found  in  some  of  the 
sandy  strata,  which  appear  to  be  of  more  recent  origin  than  the  light- 
colored  shales.  Thus,  seepages  of  tar-like  oil  exude  from  Tertiary  sand- 
stone at  the  Krayenhagen  ranch,  at  Tar  Caiion,  and  at  Asphalto;  and 
bituminous  sands,  which  are  probably  of  this  age,  are  found  on  the 
banks  of  Kern  River  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley. 
There  are  also  many  other  places  in  the  foothills  on  the  western  side 
of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  where  bituminous  Tertiary  sandstones  are 
exposed. 

The  bituminous  shales  exposed  in  the  Sunset  Oil  District  show  a 
maximum  thickness  which  may  be  approximately  estimated  at  2,700 
feet,  but  exposures  of  this  formation  seen  north  of  Coalinga  and  near  the 
Vallecitoe  Creek,  in  San  Benito  County,  convey  the  idea  that  it  becomes 


—  68  — 

thinner  as  it  extends  northward.  The  thickness  of  the  Tertiary  forma- 
tions overlying  the  light-colored  shales  (as  calculated  from  observations 
made  in  the  oil  district  nine  miles  north  of  Coalinga)  may  be  taken  at 
not  less  than  one  mile. 

From  these  estimates,  other  things  being  equal,  the  aggregate  thick- 
ness of  the  Tertiary  formation  underlying  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  may 
be  tentatively  put  down  at  not  less  than  8,000  feet;  but  observations 
similar  to  those  herein  recorded  should  be  made  at  many  places  in  the 
foothills  before  expressing  a  definite  opinion  as  to  the  thickness.  By 
the  sectional  sketches  accompanying  this  article,  the  aggregate  thickness 
of  the  Tertiary  formation  is  approximately  shown;  but  the  relative 
thickness  of  the  different  strata  overlying  the  light-colored  shales  is 
largely  a  matter  of  conjecture. 

The  greater  portion  of  the  Tertiary  rocks  are  sufficiently  porous  to 
afford  a  good  storage  for  gas  under  suitable  conditions.  It  is  probable 
that  the  gas  wells  in  the  valley  lands  derive  their  immediate  supply 
from  formations  similar  to  the  sandstones  composing  the  Kettleman 
Hills,  and  from  porous  Quaternary  strata,  which  lie  practically  hori- 
zontal on  the  older  rocks  forming  the  slopes  of  the  valley.  It  may  be 
here  remarked  that  one  of  the  strongest  evidences  of  the  existence  of  a 
large  supply  of  gas  is  the  great  uniformity  in  the  fuel  value  of  the  gas 
yielded  by  the  various  Stockton  wells. 

The  approximate  thickness  of  the  blue  sandstone  and  more  recent 
formations  exposed  in  the  canon  investigated  in  the  Kettleman  Hills 
may  be  tentatively  reckoned  as  probably  more  than  5,000  feet.  It  is 
quite  likely  that  further  explorations  in  the  Kettleman  Hills,  especially 
on  their  eastern  side,  would  materially  add  to  our  knowledge  concerning 
the  strata  which  immediately  underlie  the  filling  of  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley,  for  on  the  eastern  side  of  those  hills  the  rocky  formations  are 
said  to  be  less  obscured  by  alluvium  than  they  are  in  the  canon  explored 
by  the  writer.  The  character  and  the  thickness  of  the  filling  of  the 
valley  can  only  be  inferred  from  the  material  brought  to  the  surface 
during  the  process  of  well-boring.  Hitherto  the  borings  at  Stockton 
have  not  thrown  much  light  on  the  geological  age  of  the  strata  they 
penetrate.  The  only  organic  remains  identified  which  have  been  brought 
up  by  the  sand-pump  are  the  following:  The  leg  bone  of  a  small  rodent, 
from  a  depth  of  600  feet;  a  horse's  incisor,  a  much  worn  tooth  of  some 
carnivorous  animal,  and  two  small  pieces  of  jaw  bone,  from  a  depth  of 
1,058  feet.  There  is  also  some  lithological  evidence,  for  lava  pebbles 
have  been  brought  up  from  a  depth  of  about  1,500  feet.  From  these 
organic  remains,  and  from  the  fact  that  the  lava  pebbles  probably  came 
from  lava  streams  of  late  Tertiary  origin,  it  appears  a  reasonable  con- 
clusion that  the  first  1,500  feet,  and  probably  more,  of  the  strata  thus 
far  penetrated  at  Stockton  are  of  the  Quaternary  age.  This  opinion  is 
strengthened  by  finding  Pliocene  and  recent  fresh-water  shells  at  a 
depth  of  more  than  1,000  feet  in  the  Lambertson  well,  near  Lake  Tulare. 

Two  of  the  most  important  things  shown  by  the  record  of  wells  which 
have  been  bored  in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  are:  (1)  The  clayey  nature 
of  many  of  the  strata  which  overlie  the  gas-holding  formations.  (2)  The 
great  increase  in  the  number  and  thickness  of  the  gas-yielding  strata  as 
a  great  depth  is  reached.  By  referring  to  the  records  of  wells  which 
have  been  sunk  in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  to  obtain  gas  or  water  (see 
our  Vlllth,  Xth,  Xlth  Reports  and  this  bulletin),  it  will  be  seen  that 


—  69  — 

sheets  of  clay,  which  are  encountered  at  no  great  depth  beneath  the  sur- 
face, extend  throughout  the  Central  Valley  of  California.  These  clayey 
strata  aggregate  several  hundred  feet  in  thickness,  and  are  of  compara- 
tively recent  geologic  age.  It  is  in  the  porous  formations  which  lie 
beneath  these  sheets  of  clay  that  the  natural  gas  which  has  l)een  ob- 
tained by  wells  bored  in  the  valley  lands  is  stored.  There  has  not  as  yet 
been  sufficient  evidence  forthcoming  to  determine  the  extent  of  the  area 
occupied  by  the  more  recent  porous  gas-holding  strata  in  the  San  Joa- 
quin Valley;  but  investigation  warrants  a  belief  that  they  are  coextensive 
with  the  central  portions  of  the  valley,  and  that  the  alluvial  formations 
on  the  sides  of  the  valley  are  either  connected  with  the  gas-holding  rocks 
or  isolated  therefrom,  according  as  the  intervening  strata  are  either  sand 
or  clay. 

In  reviewing  the  history  of  the  Stockton  gas  wells,  it  is  interesting  to 
compare  the  records  of  the  relative  depth  and  character  of  the  strata 
from  which  gas  was  obtained. 


Gas-Yielding  Strata  in  the  Court-house   Well. 


Character  of  Stfata. 


Thickness 
of  Strata, 
ill  Feet. 


Depth  of  Well, 
in  Feet. 


Bituminous  shale  or  clay,  with  gas 

Fine,  friable,  soft  sandstone,  witn  gas 

Sandy  cement,  with  gas  -. 

Clayey  sandstone,  with  gas 

Light-colored,  clayey  sandstone,  with  gas 

Cement  gravel,  with  gas 

Indurated  clay,  with  gas -. 

Soft,  friable  sandstone,  with  gas 

Coarse  sandstone,  with  gas -.. 

Total  thickness  of  gas-yielding  strata . . 


30 

1,070  to  1,100 

20 

1,280  to  1,300 

40 

1,410  to  1,450 

40 

1,560  to  1,600 

30 

1,630  to  1,660 

40 

1,660  to  1,700 

100 

1,700  to  1,800 

70 

1,800  to  1,870 

27 

1,890  to  1,917 

397 


It  will  be  observed  that  after  striking  the  gas,  a  thickness  of  590  feet 
showed  only  160  feet  of  gas-holding  formation,  while  the  275  feet  pene- 
trated below  a  depth  of  1,660  feet  showed  a  thickness  of  237  feet  which 
yielded  gas.  The  gas  furnished  by  this  well  has  been  estimated  at  30,000 
cubic  feet  every  twenty-four  hours;  a  large  amount  of  water  accompanies 
the  gas,  but  the  strata  in  which  the  flows  were  struck  are  not  recorded. 


Gas-Yielding  Strata  in  the  Northern   Well. 


Character  of  Strata. 


Thickness' 

of  Strata, 

i   in  Feet.   I 


Depth  of  Well, 
iu  Feet. 


Soft  clay,  with  small  flow  of  water 

Blue  clay,  and  a  little  gas 

Sand,  and  a  little  gas 

Sand.. 


Soft  clay,  with  good  flow  of  water  and  gas 

Hard  blue  clay,  with  more  water  and  gas 

Sand,  packed  very  hard;  small  How  of  water  and  gas. 

Sand,  with  good  "flow  of  water  and  gas 

Loose,  black  sand,  with  more  water  and  gas 

Packed  sand,  with  water  and  gas 

Coarse  black  sand,  with  water  and  gas 

Fine  black  sand,  with  water  and  gas 

Gravel  and  cement,  with  gas  and  water 


Total  thickness  of  gas-yielding  strata  .. 


6 
1 

15 
38 
8 
15 
8 
2 
6 
4 
5 


113 


8.30  to 
im  to 
1,185  to 
1,210  to 
1,215  to 
1,270  to 
1,330  to 
1,385  to 
1,434  to 
1,468  to 
1,543  to 
1,583  to 
1,624  to 


834 
968 
1,191 
1.211 
1.230 
1.308 
1,338 
1,400 
1,442 
1,470 
1.549 
1,587 
1,629 


—  70  — 

Gas- Yielding  Strata  in  the  Jackson  Well  JVo.  2. 


Character  of  Strata. 


Thickness 
of  Strata, 
in  Feet. 


Depth  of  Well, 
in  Feei. 


Soft  sand-rock 

Coarse  sand,  with  good  flow  of  water  and  gas 

Porous  cement,  with  good  flow  of  water  and  gas 

Porous,  sandy  cement,  with  gas 

Sand,  with  water  and  gas 

Sand,  with  water  and  gas 

Sand,  with  large  flow  of  water  and  gas 

Porous,  sandy  stratum,  yielding  much  gas... 

Sand,  with  large  flow  of  water  and  gas 

Total  thickness  of  gas-yielding  formations  — 


34 
10 
16 
30 
10 
10 
15 
10 
5 


140 


746  to 
870  to 
880  to 
1,000  to 
1,170  to 
1,260  to 
1,445  to 
1,630  to 
1,650  to 


800 
880 
896 
1,030 
1,180 
1,270 
1,460 
1,640 
1,655 


It  appears  from  the  records  of  Jackson  Well  No.  2,  the  Court-house 
well,  and  the  Northern  w^ell,  that  the  average  thickness  of  gas-yielding 
strata  for  wells  1,600  to  1,700  feet  deep  maybe  put  down  approximately 
at  150  feet.  Below  that  depth,  the  proportion  of  gas-yielding  strata 
greatly  increases,  and  it  is  the  opinion  of  those  who  have  bored  deeper 
wells  at  Stockton,  that  below  a  depth  of  1 ,700  feet  all  the  porous  strata 
yield  gas. 

Concerning  the  tension  of  the  gas  in  the  gas-yielding  strata,  the 
problem  is  complicated  by  the  presence  of  flowing  water  which  has  been 
struck  in  nearly  all  the  gas  wells  hitherto  bored  in  the  valley  lands. 
The  flowing  water  is,  however,  a  qualified  misfortune,  for  not  only  is  it 
in  itself  of  great  service  to  the  community,  but  it  is  a  safeguard  against 
waste,  such  as  was  occasioned  in  the  Eastern  States  by  an  uriimpeded 
flow  of  gas.  If  the  water  could  be  kept  out  of  the  casing  without  ob- 
structing the  flow  of  gas,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  amount  of  gas 
yielded  by  the  wells  would  be  greatly  increased.  The  only  information 
that  could  be  obtained  on  this  important  subject  is  as  follows: 

In  the  Jackson  Well  No.  2  some  gas  was  obtained  before  flowing  water 
was  struck.  In  the  St.  Agnes  Well  No.  1,  only  about  a  mile  distant 
from  the  Jackson  wells,  when  the  w^ater  ceased  to  flow  the  w^ell  ceased 
to  yield  gas.  In  the  Haas  well,  w^hich  is  probably  a  mile  and  a  half 
from  the  Jackson  well,  the  force  of  the  gas,  when  the  well  was  virtually 
capped  by  the  boring  tools,  drove  the  water  out  of  the  hollow  boring- 
rod,  and  burst  the  fire  hose  attached  to  it.  Mr.  Haas  is  of  the  opinion 
that  the  pressure  equaled  200  pounds  to  the  square  inch.  In  this  con- 
nection we  call  to  mind  the  fact  that  the  gas  w^hich  blew^  the  water  out 
of  the  casing  of  the  Jacobs  well  in  Tulare  County  must  have  been  under 
a  pressure  of  more  than  105  pounds  to  the  square  inch. 

It  is  impossible  to  determine  to  what  extent  the  Tertiary  rocks  may 
have  been  eroded  in  central  portions  of  the  valley,  but  it  is  quite  likely 
that  Tertiary  strata  several  thousand  feet  in  thickness  underlie  the 
Quaternary  filling  of  the  valley.  If  such  strata  should  contain  gas,  its 
tension  would  be  much  greater  than  in  strata  near  the  surface,  and  the 
amount  of  water  might  be  much  less. 

A  great  increase  in  the  depth  of  wells  is  limited  by  questions  of  cost 
and  practicability;  but  all  circumstances  connected  with  the  question  of 
"natural  gas"  in  the  San  Joaquin  point  to  the  fact  that  deep  wells 
produce  the  best  results. 

There  is  one  point  on  which  the  reader  will  probably  wish  to  know 


—  71  — 

something,  and  that  is  the  cost  of  well-boring  in  the  Central  Valley  of 
California.  Concerning  the  cost  of  well-boring,  the  writer  has  not  yet 
sufficient  data  to  give  very  satisfactory  information,  but  he  is  informed 
that  the  Court-house  well  at  Stockton,  which  is  said  to  yield  30,000  cubic 
feet  of  gas  daily,  cost  about  $12,000,  including  the  cost  of  gasometer  and 
the  necessary  plant. 

THE    LEADING   GEOLOGICAL   FEATURES   OF    THE    OIL-BEARING    FORMATIONS    OF 
THE    SAN    JOAQUIN    VALLEY. 

The  most  characteristic  rock  of  the  bituminous  formations  of  the  Coast 
Range  is  the  light-colored,  silicious,  bituminous  shale.  These  shales  are 
described  by  Professor  J.  D.  Whitney  in  Geology  of  California,  vol.  1, 
and  more  recently  in  a  bulletin  published  by  the  University  of  Cali- 
fornia, entitled  "  The  Geology  of  Carmelo  Bay,"  by  Dr.  A.  C.  Lawson, 
assisted  in  chemical  analysis  and  field-work  by  Juan  de  la  Posada.  It 
is  impossible  to  read  the  descriptions  of  this  shale  in  the  works  referred 
to,  and  then  to  examine  the  light-colored  shale  mentioned  in  the  fore- 
going pages,  without  at  once  recognizing  the  probability  of  the  forma- 
tions being  identical.  Dr.  Lawson  has  described  the  samples  of  shale 
which  he  found  in  Monterey  County  somewhat  exhaustively  from  a 
lithological  point  of  view;  he  regards  the  rock  as  being  indirectly  of  vol- 
canic origin,  and  states  that  it  is  probably  made  up  of  a  very  silicious 
volcanic  ash.  In  comparing  the  samples  of  light-colored  shale  obtained 
near  Coalinga  with  samples  from  Kern  County,  the  writer  spent  no  more 
time  in  laboratory  work  than  was  required  to  bring  out  the  leading 
features  necessary  to  demonstrate  a  similarity  in  the  composition  of  the 
light-colored  shales  seen  in  Kern  and  Fresno  Counties. 

The  facts  here  relied  on  to  establish  the  identity  of  the  light-colored 
shale  formation  exposed  in  both  counties,  are  as  follows:  Both  at  the 
San  Emidio  Grant,  in  Kern  County,  and  in  the  oil  district  nine  miles 
north  of  Coalinga,  these  shales  are  found  beneath  strata  containing 
Miocene  fossils.  The  physical  appearance  of  the  light-colored  shales 
both  in  Kern  and  Fresno  Counties  is  very  similar,  not  only  when  studied 
as  a  formation,  but  also  when  hand  specimens  are  subjected  to  macro- 
scopic examination.  After  these  shales  have  been  treated  with  acid  to 
remove  soluble  infiltrations,  they  are  found  to  be  largely  composed  of 
silica,  and  a  notable  percentage  of  this  silica  is  soluble  in  a  solution  of 
sodium  carbonate.  These  shales,  both  in  Kern  and  Fresno  Counties, 
yield  a  heavy,  tar-like  oil,  and  contain  marine  diatoms.  Samples  of 
light-colored  shale  from  the  oil  district  nine  miles  north  of  Coalinga,  the 
Sunset  Oil  District,  and  Asphalto,  were  examined  by  Mr.  D.  C.  Booth, 
of  the  San  Francisco  Microscopical  Society,  who  makes  the  following 
statement:  "The  sample  of  light-colored  shale  from  the  oil  district  nine 
miles- north  of  Coalinga  contained  numerous  diatoms,  and  some  speci- 
mens contained  the  spicula  of  sponge.  The  species  of  diatoms  most 
abundant  in  the  specimen  furnished  me  are:  Actinoj^tychus,  Baphoneis, 
Actinocyclus,  Coscinodiscus  (3  var.),  Navicula  (2  var.),  and  Hyalodisciis — 
all  marine  species.  The  specimens  of  light-colored  shale  from  the 
Sunset  Oil  District  do  not  contain  many  diatoms,  but  what  appears  to 
be  the  silicious  epidermis  of  alga?  is  abundant.  In  some  specimens  from 
this  locality  I  found  the  spicula  of  sponge  and  foraminifera.  The  soft 
silicious  rock  from  Asphalto  contains  numerous  Coscinodiscus,  and  a  few 


—  72  — 

Raphoneis;  and  both  these  diatoms  appear  to  l»e  of  the  same  varieties 
as  the  Coscinodiscus  and  Raphoneis  in  the  sample  of  light-colored  shale 
from  Coalinga." 

The  necessity  of  producing  the  aforementioned  evidence  to  establish 
the  identity  of  the  light-colored  shale  exposed  in  the  oil  district  nine 
miles  north  of  Coalinga  and  that  seen  in  the  Sunset  Oil  District,  arises 
from  the  impossibility  of  tracing  the  formation  continuously  between 
the  two  places.  This  disappearance  of  the  light-colored  shales  ceases  to 
be  surprising  when  we  find  sandy  Miocene  formations  resting  uncon- 
formably  on  the  light-colored  shales  in  the  oil  district  nine  miles  north 
of  Coalinga.  Another  interesting  geological  feature  is  the  contortion 
which  the  light-colored  shales  have  undergone  in  some  places.  This 
contortion,  as  suggested  by  Dr.  Cooper,  may  be  due  not  only  to  the  fold- 
ing incidental  to  orographic  movement,  but  to  an  irregular  subsidence 
caused  by  the  escape  of  gas,  oil,  or  other  matter  once  contained  by  the 
light-colored  shales,  or  by  strata  on  which  they  rest.  It  will,  no  doubt, 
be  observed  by  the  reader  that  only  scanty  exposures  of  what  are  believed 
to  be  earthy  Cretaceous  shales  were  noticed  in  the  Sunset  Oil  District, 
and  that  no  mention  is  made  of  them  at  Asphalto,  although  the  light- 
colored  shales  are  well  exposed  at  both  places.  This  awakens  a  suspicion 
that  the  light-colored  shales  rest  unconformably  on  the  Cretaceous  strata. 
This,  however,  is  not  established  by  the  observations  herein  recorded. 
The  most  that  can  be  safely  said  on  the  subject  is,  that  at  Sunset  the 
light-colored  shales  appear  to  be  less  disturbed  than  the  strata  on  which 
they  rest,  and  that  in  the  oil  district  north  of  Coalinga  the  reverse  seems 
to  be  the  case.  But  formations  which  are  conformable  in  one  locality 
may  be  unconformable  in  another. 

An  interesting  line  of  inquiry  presents  itself  in  the  gradual  increase 
in  the  easterly  direction  of  the  dip  exhibited  by  the  strata  composing 
some  of  the  formations  herein  described,  when  they  are  examined  in  the 
order  of  their  upward  vertical  range.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  these  inves- 
tigations will  be  supplemented  by  the  work  of  others  who  have  both  the 
means  and  the  time  for  exhaustive  scientific  research. 

ESTIMATION    OF    FUEL    VALUE    OF    NATURAL   GAS    AT    STOCKTON. 

Having  dwelt  somewhat  largely  on  the  geological  features  attending 
the  occurrence  of  natural  gas,  in  both  the  San  Joaquin  and  the  Sacra- 
mento Valleys,  it  is  now  in  order  to  consider  the  value  of  the  gas  as  fuel. 
It  has  for  some  time  been  the  endeavor  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau  to 
obtain  reliable  information  upon  this  subject  from  the  experience  of 
those  who  have  used  the  gas.  A  review  of  the  information  collected 
under  this  head  shows  a  wide  difference  of  experience  and  opinion;  this, 
however,  is  by  no  means  surprising  when  we  consider  the  lack  of  uni- 
formity in  the  conditions  under  which  the  gas  has  been  burned.  It  was 
concluded  that  under  the  circumstances  the  best  results  in  this  investi- 
gation could  be  obtained  by  physical  experiment.  The  plan  chosen  was 
the  comparison  of  work  done  by  burning  measured  quantities  of  hydro- 
gen with  work  done  by  measured  quantities  of  natural  gas  burned  under 
practically  similar  conditions.  To  this  end  a  cylindrical  boiler  was 
made  capable  of  holding  6,700  cubic  centimeters  of  water,  the  tare  of  the 
boiler  for  purposes  of  calormetric  estimation  having  an  equivalience  of 
270  cubic  centimeters  of  water.     The  height  of  the  boiler  was  20  inches. 


—  73  — 

and  its  diameter  6  inches.  A  funnel-shaped  tire-box  formed  the  base  of 
the  boiler  and  connected  with  an  air-chamber,  from  which  a  flue  for  the 
escape  of  the  products  of  combustion  extended  through  the  upper  por- 
tion of  the  boiler  and  protruded  from  its  top.  The  air-chamber  was  so 
constructed  that  it  would  retain  any  water  that  might  be  condensed 
from  the  products  of  combustion.  It  was  found  that,  although  several 
cubic  centimeters  of  water  were  condensed  during  short  experiments, 
only  an  insignificant  amount  remained  at  the  close  of  the  experiments 
herein  recorded.  The  outer  portion  of  the  boiler  was  of  tinned  iron,  and 
the  fire-box,  air-chamber,  and  flue  were  made  of  copper.  V\'hen  this 
instrument  was  in  use  it  was  surrounded  by  a  screen  of  thick  asbestos 
paper,  and  the  boiler  was  insulated  by  asbestos,  as  much  as  possible, 
from  the  iron  ring-stand  upon  which  it  stood.  Bunsen  burners  were 
employed.  The  test-meter  used  was  manufactured  by  the  American 
Meter  Company.  Repeated  experiments  with  hydrogen  showed  that  the 
best  results  were  obtained  with  a  five-jet  burner,  in  which  the  air  passages 
at  the  base  of  the  jets  were  about  two-thirds  closed.  The  hydrogen  was 
prevented  from  "snapping  back"  by  the  insertion  of  platinum  gauze  in 
the  tips  of  the  burners.  Under  these  conditions  very  uniform  results 
were  obtained. 

Repeated  experiments  with  the  natural  gas  showed  that  the  best 
results  were  secured  by  using  a  Bunsen  burner  in  which  three  jets  fed 
an  Argand  nozzle,  while  a  single  jet,  the  tip  of  which  formed  a  center 
to  the  base  of  the  nozzle,  supplied  an  independent  flame;  this  flame  in 
its  passage  upward  superheated,  to  some  extent,  the  gas  passing  through 
the  Argand  nozzle.  A  series  of  experiments  showed  that  the  most  heat 
was  obtained  from  the  natural  gas  by  regulating  the  flow  so  that  a 
flame  was  produced  blue  at  the  base,  and  passing  through  various 
shades  of  dull  red  to  a  yellow  color  at  the  edges  and  in  the  upper 
portions  of  the  luminous  cone.  In  the  experiments  with  both  the 
hydrogen  and  natural  gas  the  tips  of  the  burners  were  on  a  level  with 
the  base  of  the  boiler.  By  carefully  noting  the  color  of  the  flame,  and 
instantly  repressing  any  tendency  to  roar  or  flicker,  very  uniform  results 
were  derived  from  experiments  made  with  the  same  bagful  of  natural 
gas.  At  Stockton,  the  natural  gas  was  conveyed  in  a  rubber  bag  directly 
from  the  wells  to  a  room  wherein  the  experiments  were  conducted;  and 
as  the  tabular  statement  hereto  annexed  shows,  the  conditions  were  as 
uniform  as  the  circumstances  would  allow. 

Gas  was  taken  from  the  following  wells:  St.  Agnes,  Court-house, 
Asylum,  Northern,  Jackson,  Citizens,  and  Haas.  In  this  article  these 
wells  are  referred  to  by  numbers  and  not  by  names,  nor  are  the  num- 
bers in  the  order  in  which  the  wells  have  just  been  mentioned.  The 
only  exception  made  is  in  the  case  of  the  Asylum  well. 

As  the  following  table  of  results  shows,  only  in  one  instance  was 
any  noteworthy  difierence  observed  in  fuel  value  of  the  gas  yielded  by 
the  various  wells: 


—  74  — 


Average  Tempera- 
ture at  which 
ProduetsofCom- 
bustiou  were 
Lost -.- 


Duration    of    Ex- 
periment   


Number  of  De- 
grees for  Each 
Foot  of  Gas 
Burned 


Number  of  De- 
grees Water  was 
Raised. 


t^  ;o  u^  lO  CO  lO  t^ 

CO  CO  CO  CO  CO  CO  CO 


;ooo  ooo  o 


■-COCO-^-^rfTflTfl 


O  OO  CO  '— I  CC  lO  CO 
CD  lO  CO  05  O  t~^  00 
•>  t-^  CD  t--  CO  r- 1-- 


o  10  o  ic  10  in  o 

O  I>;  O  t-;  C<)  M  lO 

CO  im"  05  CO  ^'  CO  CO 
O  VO  ■^  10  O  10  10 


Temperature      of 

S        Water  at  End  of 

Experiment 


Temperature  of 
Water  at  Begin- 
ning of  Experi- 
ment   - 


O  10  iC  »o  in  iC  o 


CO  CO  CO  t^  !>•  t^  t^ 


Temperature      of 
Air _ 


00  moooo 
O  O  r-;0  O  o  iq 
Tjl  CD  10  t-^  CO  1-^  CD 


0000000 


Open  Pressure  of 
Gas  in  Meter 


Temperature 
Gas 


of 


Amount    of    Gas 
Burned 


Barometric  Press- 
ure Approxi- 
mated by  a 
Pocket  Aneroid. 


■"COCOCOCOCDCDCO 


0000000 


'^  CO  CO  CO  CO  CO  CO  CO     I    CO 


rj  i-H  M  CO  ■*  »0  to 

'>>6  66006 


CC  IM 

00  c4 

CD  t- 


COO 
O  <M 

coco" 


T»<  O 
Ttl  O 

CO  id 


to  o 

CO    u 

^  >> 

o3J3 

5^ 


o  c 

bC-fH 

>  « 

<1W 


0 

0 

8 

8 

05 

CO 

CO 

0 

0 

C-l 

,_l 

CO 

tx 

d 

0 

in 

m 

(N 

t^ 

CD 

iH 

iH 

d 

0 

0 

0 

m 

Cl 

00 

10 

•<ri 

d 

0 

0 

0 

in 

CO 

CO 

CO 

CO 

d 

1 

0 

® 

0 

0 

m 

CD 

in 

is 

-H     1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

m 

at 

c:: 

t^ 

■73 

TJH 

CO 

1^ 

0 

"fn 

(M 

CO 

CO 

0 

121 

i 

0) 

Q 

!^ 

in 

0 

S 
0 

CO 

CO 

1-1 

""• 

-rs 

fi 

S3 

CO 

CO 

(U 

^ 

s 

OJ 

0) 

a 

Pi 

0. 

>> 

s 

a 

m 

oj 

c3 

^ 

m 

CO 

-IJ 

I» 

^ 

M 

-u 

tC 

•-c 

a 

0 

u 

«+-( 

c3 

c3 

n 

.       CO 

CO 

OJ 

S      >> 

.    >. 

a 

S      c3 

"^2       03 

<A 

^    -a 

<-;  'O 

S^-   W 

^  - 

a 

0) 

<u 

S 

e3 

A     1 

01 

ft 

ft 

s 

a 

0 

c4 

03 

C 

m 

to 

-< 

13 

'O 

G 

0 

0 

0 

u 

0) 

a> 

OJ 

m 

^% 

d 

S^ 

coco 

(M  00 

^  fl 

00  in 

« 

coco 

"a  " 

fl}^ 

^« 

«>  & 

^0 

^H  c3 

t^-^ 

S-^ 

coco 

."t3 

■^■* 

>>'3 

2^ 


«3.^ 


CO  CQ  —  " 

■r-l  ^  ° 


So  00  M 


■^O 


X5  O) 


O 


0)73 

^       o 


1.2 


<=>2 
00 

o<6 


^<  bO 
!3  O 


e3  C 
CO  a> 

bC.g 

01  ft 
>  K 


.S3S 

d 

^  s 

00 

0!M 

coco 

C  m 

.2  cu 

d 

0+3 

«3_ 

-*o 

K-d 

■^0 

""  C 

com 

bo^S 

C  CO 
— '  03 

'2  M 

In  the  foregoing  experiments  the  temperatures  at  which  the  products 
of  combustion  were  lost  increased  as  additional  gas  was  consumed  and 
the  temperature  of  the  water  in  the  boiler  rose.  In  the  subsequent  esti- 
mates as  to  the  value  of  the  gases  at  0'^  C,  a  rise  in  the  temperature  at 
which  the  products  of  combustion  would  have  been  lost  is  therefore  cal- 
culated corresponding  to  the  increased  calorific  value  of  the  gases  at 
0*^  C.  Moreover,  as  the  density  of  the  gases  would  be  increased  by  reduc- 
tion to  zero,  the  time  representing  the  duration  of  the  experiment  is  also 
proportionately  lengthened. 

The  experiments  are  thus  placed  on  as  equal  a  footing  as  the  conditions 
will  permit.  It  was  found  that  the  work  done  by  1  foot  of  hydrogen,  its 
temperature  being  0°  C,  was  to  raise  the  temperature  of  the  water  in  the 
boiler  8.44^  C,  while  an  average  foot  of  natural  gas  at  a  temperature  of 
0°  C.  raised  the  water  in  the  boiler  18.63''  C. 

By  comparing  the  work  done  it  was  found  that  1  foot  of  natural  gas 
performed  as  much  work  as  2.207  cubic  feet  of  hydrogen.  Taking  the 
weight  of  1  cubic  foot  of  hydrogen  at  0°  C.  as  2.537  grammes,  the  avail- 
able calorific  value  of  hydrogen  as  29,629  kilogramme  calories,  and  that 
of  carbon  as  8,080  kilogramme  calories,  it  is  evident  that  the  practical 
fuel  values  of  hydrogen  and  natural  gas  as  compared  with  carbon  are 
respectively  as  follows:  1  cubic  foot  of  hydrogen  equals,  practically,  9.30 
grammes  of  carbon;  1  cubic  foot  of  natural  gas  equals,  practically,  20.525 
grammes  of  carbon;  therefore,  1,000  cubic  feet  of  natural  gas  equal  20,525 
grammes,  or  45.3  pounds  of  carbon,  which  is  practically  equal  to  50 
pounds  of  coke  carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash. 

As  the  temperature  of  the  natural  gas  when  burned  was  16.18"  C. 
instead  of  0*^  C,  it  is  necessary  to  adjust  the  value  by  calculation.  This 
being  done  it  is  found  that  1,000  cubic  feet  of  natural  gas  at  16.18*^  C. 
have  a  fuel  value  of,  practically,  47  pounds  of  coke.  Therefore,  a  ton 
of  coke  carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash  has  a  fuel  value  of,  practically, 
42,500  cubic  feet  of  an  average  sample  of  Stockton  natural  gas. 

The  following  samples  of  gas  from  Wells  No.  2  and  No.  5  were  ana- 
lyzed by  Messrs.  Price  &  Son,  of  San  Francisco,  who  have  kindly  placed 
the  results  of  the  analyses  at  the  disposal  of  the  writer.  The  gas  was 
conveyed  in  rubber  bags  from  Stockton  to  San  Francisco,  and  analyzed 
immediately  on  its  arrival  in  the  latter  city.  Messrs.  Price  &  Son  stated 
that  in  these  analyses  all  the  hydrocarbon  illuminants  were  estimated 
as  marsh  gas: 


Well  No.  2. 

Well  No.  5. 

Sample  taken — Specific  gravity  referred  to  air 

0.612 
60.47  per  ct. 

0.607 

Marsh  ffas(CH.) 

62.93  peret. 

Hydrogen  (H.>) _ 11.87  per  ct.  11.51  per  ct 

Oxygen  (Go) -" 

Nitrogen  (X,) 

Carbonic  di-oxide  (COj) 
Carbonous  oxide  (CO)  1. 


1.00  per  ct.  .70  per  ct. 

26.66  per  ct.  24.36  per  ct. 

trace.  .50  per  ct. 

trace.  trace. 


100.00  per  ct.  j      100.00  per  ct. 


In  order  to  compare  the  theoretical  fuel  value  of  the  gas  as  derived 
from  the  analysis,  with  the  practical  results  obtained  by  physical  experi- 
ment, the  writer  begs  to  submit  the  following  calculations,  the  results  of 


—  76  — 

which  show  a  wonderful  uniformity;  indeed,  by  a  curious  coincidence, 
in  the  case  of  the  gas  from  Well  No.  2,  the  figures  obtained  both  by 
analysis  and  by  physical  experiment  are  nearly  identical.  The  calcu- 
lations, however,  are  not  carried  out  beyond  the  third  decimal  place; 
and  in  calculating  the  results  of  the  physical  experiments,  the  fact  that 
the  gas  was  under  a  water  pressure  at  0.6  of  an  inch  is  disregarded,  as 
is  also  the  amount  of  heat  lost  by  the  nitrogen  shown  in  the  analyses, 
for  the  difference  occasioned  by  both  these  items  is  less  than  1  per  cent. 
In  these  calculations  practical  fuel  values  are  taken,  namely: 

Hydrogen  =  29,629  kilo  calories. 

Carbon  =   8,080  kilo  calories. 

Marsh  gas  =  11,855  kilo  calories. 

The  figures  for  marsh  gas  are  the  figures  of  Favre  and  Silberman,  less 
the  latent  heat  absorbed  by  converting  the  hydrogen  which  the  gas 
contains  into  water,  i.  e.,  13,063  — 1,208  =  11,855. 


Well  No.  2. 


Estimated  as 
Cubic  Foot. 


Weight,  ill 
Grammes. 


Kilogramme 
Calories. 


Marsh  gas(CH4).- 

Hydrogen  (Hg)--- 

Oxygen  (Oj) -- 

Nitrogen  (N,) 

Carbonic  di-oxide  (COj) 
Carbonous  oxide  (CO).". 


60.47  per  ct. 
11.87  per  ct. 


1.00  per  ct. 

26.66  per  ct. 

trace. 

trace. 


100.00  per  ct. 


12.350 
0.300 

Less  0.05  grammes,  re- 
quired to  satisfy  0.406 
grammes  of  O  =  0.2b 
grammes  of  available  H. 

0.45 
0 


146.60 
7.40 


154.00 


Thus  it  is  found  that  one  cubic  foot  of  natural  gas  from  Well  No.  2 
has  a  fuel  value  of  154  kilogramme  calories.  Taking  one  gramme  of 
carbon  as  having  a  fuel  value  of  8.08  kilo  calories,  one  cubic  foot  of 
sample  has  a  fuel  value  of  19.05  grammes  of  carbon.  Therefore,  1,000 
cubic  feet  of  this  gas  is  practically  equal  to  42  pounds  of  carbon,  or  46 
pounds  of  coke  carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash. 

Fuel  Value  of  Natural  Gas  from  Well  No.  3,  as  Determined  by  Physical 
Experiment. — One  cubic  foot  of  this  gas,  its  temperature  being  13.2°  C, 
raised  the  water  in  the  boiler  16.33°  C.  If  the  temperature  of  the  gas 
had  been  0°  C,  one  cubic  foot  of  natural  gas  would  have  raised  the  water 
in  the  boiler  17.11°  C.  One  cubic  foot  of  hydrogen  at  0°  C.  has  a  fuel 
value  of  9.3  grammes  of  carbon.  One  cubic  foot  of  hydrogen  at  0°  C. 
was  found  to  raise  the  water  i'n  the  boiler  8.44°  C.  Therefore,  one  cubic 
foot  of  gas  from  Well  No.  2,  its  temperature  being  0°  C,  has  a  fuel  value 
of  18.85  grammes  of  carbon;  and  1,000  cubic  feet  of  this  gas  have  a  fuel 
value  of  41.6  pounds  of  carbon,  or  practically  1,000  cubic  feet  of  the  gas 
have  a  fuel  value  of  46  pounds  of  coke  carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash. 


Well  No.  5. 


Estimated  as  1 
Cubic  Foot. 


Weight,  in 
Grammes. 


Kilogramme 
Calories. 


Marsh  gas  (CH^) 62.93  per  ct. 

Hydrogen  (H 2)-.- 11-51  per  ct. 


Oxygen  (Oo)... 

Nitrogen  (N^) 

Carbonic  di-6xide  (COo)- 
Carbonous  oxide  (CO)!.. 


0.70  per  ct. 
24.36  per  ct. 
0.50  per  ct. 
trace. 


12.850 
0.292 

Less  0.35  grammes,  re- 
quired to  satisfy  0.2H4 
grammes  of  ()  =  0.?57 
grammes  of  aviiilable  H. 

0.284 


152.336 
7.614 


100.00  per  ct. 


159.950 


Thus  we  find  that  the  total  number  of  kilo  calories  in  1  cubic  foot  of 
gas  from  Well  No.  5  was  practically  160.  Therefore,  1  cubic  foot  of  this 
gas  is  equal  to  19.81  grammes  of  carbon,  and  1,000  cubic  feet  have  a  fuel 
value  of  43.6  pounds  of  carbon,  which  is  practically  equal  to  48  pounds 
of  coke  carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash. 

Fuel  Value  of  Natural  Gas  from  Well  No.  5,  as  Determined  by  Physical 
Experiment. — One  cubic  foot  of  gas  from  Well  No.  5,  its  temperature 
being  estimated  as  0°  C,  would  raise  the  water  in  the  boiler  18.89°  C. 
One  cubic  foot  of  hydrogen  at  0°  C.  would  raise  the  water  in  the  boiler 
8.44°  C.  Therefore,  1  cubic  foot  of  gas  from  Well  No.  5  has  a  fuel 
value  of  2.238  cubic  feet  of  hydrogen.  As  the  available  fuel  value  of  1 
cubic  foot  of  hydrogen  equals  that  of  9.3  grammes  of  carbon,  it  follows 
that  1  cubic  foot  of  gas  from  Well  No.  5  has  a  fuel  value  of  20.81 
grammes  of  carbon.  One  thousand  cubic  feet  of  the  gas  have,  therefore, 
a  fuel  value  of  45.88  pounds  of  carbon,  or  practically  50  pounds  of  coke 
carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash. 

A  comparison  of  the  results  of  the  physical  experiments  on  the 
Stockton  natural  gas  made  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  with  the 
theoretical  fuel  values  calculated  from  the  analyses  made  by  Messrs. 
Price  &  Son,  shows  as  follows: 


From  Physical  Experiment. 

1,000   cubic    feet    of  an 

average      sample     of 

Stockton  natural  gas  ^50  Rs.  of  coke. 
Sample  of  Well  No.  2  =  46  lbs.  of  coke. 
Sample  of    Well    No.  3  =  50  lbs.  of  coke. 


Calculated  from  Analysis. 

1,000  feet  from  Well  No.  2  =  46  lbs.  of  coke. 
1,000  feet  from  Well  No.  5  =  48  lbs.  of  coke. 


In  the  above  calculation  the  gas  is  estimated  at  0°  C,  and  0.6  of  an 
inch  water-pressure.  The  standard  of  comparison  is  coke  carrying  10 
per  cent  of  ash. 

It  is  interesting  to  review  the  facts  and  figures  with  regard  to  the 
actual  cash  value  of  the  Stockton  gas  wells.  The  well  at  the  court- 
house in  Stockton  is  1,917  feet  deep,  and  together  with  the  gasometer 
and  necessary  plant,  cost  $12,000.  The  yield  of  this  well  is  estimated 
at  30,000  cubic  feet  of  gas  daily.  Estimating  the  temperature  of  the 
gas  at  15°  C,  the  well  at  Stockton  court-house  yields,  in  round  figures, 
$6  10  worth  of  gas  daily,  or  $2,226  50  worth  of  fuel  a  year.  This 
calculation  is  based  simply  on  the  average  calorific  power  of  the  gas. 

It  is  probably  a  conservative  estimate  if  we  say  that  the  relative  depth 
and  yield  of  the  Stockton  gas  wells  range  from  that  of  wells  a  little 
more  than  1,000  feet  deep,  which  yield  about  2,500  cubic  feet  of  gas 


—  78  — 

daily,  to  that  of  the  deepest  well  at  Stockton,  which  is  said  to  be  about 
2,600  feet  deep,  and  to  yield  nearly  80,000  cubic  feet  of  gas  a  day. 

The  gas-yielding  formations  of  the  San  Joaquin  and  Sacramento 
Valleys  are  in  proximity  to  the  mines  of  the  Sierra,  to  beds  of  pottery 
clay  and  of  sand  suitable  for  the  manufacture  of  glass.  The  localities 
where  the  principal  wells  are  situated  possess  water  communication 
with  the  harbor  of  San  Francisco.  It  needs  no  stretch  of  the  imagina- 
tion to  appreciate  the  fact  that  natural  gas  is  an  important  factor  in  the 
geological  economics  of  the  Central  Valley  of  California. 

ESTIMATION    OF    FUEL    VALUE    OF   NATURAL    GAS    AT    SACRAMENTO,    AND    ALSO 

IN    KERN    COUNTY. 


Subsequently  to  making  the  experiments  on  the  fuel  value  of  the 
Stockton  natural  gas,  the  writer  determined  the  fuel  value  of  the  natural 
gas  from  the  old  gas  well  at  Sacramento,  from  a  gas-yielding  spring  on 
the  Barker  ranch  in  Kern  County,  and  from  a  well  in  the  Sunset  Oil 
District,  also  in  Kern  County.  In  all  these  experiments  the  same 
method  and  apparatus  were  employed  as  were  used  in  the  determination 
made  of  the  fuel  value  of  the  Stockton  natural  gas. 

The  following  record  of  these  experiments  is  self-explanatory  to  those 
who  have  followed  the  description  of  the  experiments  made  at  Stockton: 


Name  of  Well. 

a 
oX  2. 

saw 

3  - '^ 

> 
WB 
a  o 

o 
O 

i'B 

'■^ 
E 

CD 
O 

> 
>^ 

'  "d 
:    a> 

Temperature       of 
Water  at  Begin- 
ning of  Experi- 
ment   

m  CD  2 

|«3 
;   o  o 

Old  gas  well  at  Sacramento 

Average  of  four  experiments  at 
gas-yielding     spring,     Barker 

Ranch,  Kern  County 

Gas  well  in  Sec.  28,  T.  11  N.,  R.  23 
W.,  S.  B.  M.  (Sunset  Oil  Dis- 
trict, Kern  County) 

29.52  in. 
29.00  in. 
28.75  in. 

Cu.  Ft. 

3 
3 
3 

18.0°  C. 

23.5 

31.5 

17.85°  C. 

23.75 

32.00 

15.00°  C. 

19.50 

26.75 

50.25°  C. 

80.00 

80.12 

Name  of  Well. 

gSB 

:  So 
;    a  <-^ 
i    »-J 

;  i« 

;   g  <p 

Number     of     De- 
grees   for    Each 
Foot      of       Gas 
Burned   ^ 

o 

B5- 

To 

:  Si 
■  ^ 

o 

11 

i   o 

Average  Tempera- 
ture   at    which 
ProductsofCom- 
bustion        were 

Loss  by  Radiation 
and  Conduction, 
Approximated 
Experimentally. 

Old  gas  well  at  Sacramento .- 

35.25°  C. 

61.00 

5.^..^8 

11.750°C. 

20.225 

17.790 

Minutes. 

40.5 
63.0 
65.0 

Inch  of 
Water. 

.6 
.6 
.6 

3L00°C. 

43.00 

46.25 

Average  of  four  experiments  at 
gas-yielding      spring,    Barker 
Ranch,  Kern  County 

Gas  well  in  Sec.  28,  T.  11  N.,  R.  23 
W.,  S.  B.  M.  (Sunset  Oil  Dis- 
trict Kern  County) - 

2.25°C. 
1.23 

Repeated  preliminary  experiments  with  the  natural  gas  from  the  old 
gas  well  at  Sacramento  showed  that  the  best  results  were  obtained  by 
partially  closing  the  air  passages  at  the  base  of  the  jets  in  the  Bunsen 


—  79  — 


burner.  Repeated  experiments  with  the  natural  gas  at  the  Barker  Well 
and  at  the  Sunset  Oil  District  showed  that,  with  the  burner  used,  it  was 
impossible  to  burn  the  gas  economically  and  faster  than  at  the  rate  of 
consumption  employed,  for  a  very  slight  increase  in  the  pressure  or  the 
supply  of  gas  made  the  flame  roar. 

Taking  the  fuel  value  of  the  Stockton  natural  gas  at  a  temperature  of 
16.18*^  C.  as  a  basis  of  calculation,  we  obtain,  in  round  figures,  by  the 
methods  of  calculation  heretofore  employed,  the  following  fuel  values: 
2,000  pounds  of  coke  carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash  equals  42,500  cubic 
feet  of  an  average  sample  of  Stockton  natural  gas;  or  63,000  cubic  feet 
of  gas  from  the  old  gas  well  at  Sacramento;  or  36,000  cubic  feet  of  gas 
from  the  gas-yielding  spring  on  the  Barker  ranch  in  Kern  County; 
or  40,000  cubic  feet  of  natural  gas  from  the  well  in  Sunset  Oil  District 
in  Kern  County. 

A  comparison  of  the  descriptions  of  the  Stockton  and  Sacramento  gas 
wells  shows  that  the  well  from  which  the  gas  used  in  the  experiments  at 
Sacramento  was  obtained,  is  much  shallower  than  are  most  of  the  gas 
wells  at  Stockton.  As  premised  when  speaking  of  the  gas  wells  at 
Stockton,  the  gas  from  shallow  wells  which  are  bored  in  the  filling  of  a 
valley  is  more  likely  to  be  diluted  with  nitrogen  or  air  than  gas  which 
is  obtained  from  the  deep  wells  which  furnish  gas  from  strata  below  the 
principal  supply  of  artesian  water.  It  is  possible  that  the  great  fuel 
value  of  the  gas  from  the  spring  on  the  Barker  ranch  results  from  a 
large  amount  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen  being  present;  for  although  the 
calorific  value  of  the  latter  gas  is  low,  its  specific  gravity  is  more  than 
double  that  of  marsh  gas,  and  in  the  experiments  cited  in  this  article, 
the  gases  used  were  measured  volumetrically.  Some  sulphuretted  hj^dro- 
gen  was  also  noticeable  in  the  gas  from  the  well  in  the  Sunset  Oil 
District. 

The  following  comparison  of  the  wells  from  which  the  gas  used  in  the 
foregoing  experiments  was  obtained,  and  the  fuel  value  of  the  gas  which 
they  respectively  yield,  is  not  without  interest: 


Name  of  Well. 


Depth  of  Well.      Fuel  Value  of  Gas. 


Remarks. 


The  Stockton  wells..  1,350  to  about 
2,600  feet. 


Old  gas  well  at  Sac- 
ramento. 


,875  feet . 


Gas  from  the  spring 
at  the  Barker  ranch, 
Kern  County. 

Gas  from  well  in  Sec. 
28,T.11N.,  K.23W.,' 
S.  B.  :M.,  in  Sunset 
Oil  District,  Kern 
County. 


42,500  cu.  ft.  =  2,000   These  wells  appear  to  pene- 

Ibs.  of  coke  car-       trate  the  recent  and  Quater- 

ryinglOpercent       nary  filling  of  the  San  .loa- 

of  ash.  quin  Valley  for  more  than 

1,000  feet. 


63,000  cu.  ft.  =  2,000 
lbs.  of  coke. 


For  the  first  500  feet  this  well 
appears  to  penetrate  the  re- 
cent and  Quaternary  filling 
of  the  Sacramento  Valley; 
whether  or  not  the  harder 
material  penetrated  below 
that  depth  belongs  to  an 
older  formation  there  is  no 
evidence  to  determine. 


36,000  cu.  ft.  =  2,000  '  This  spring  issues  from  Ter- 
ibs.  of  coke.  tiary  rocks. 


1,350  feet 


40,000  cu.  ft.  =  2,000 
lbs.  of  coke. 


—  80  — 

The  conditions  under  which  the  experiments  herein  recorded  were 
performed  were  rendered  as  uniform  as  circumstances  would  permit; 
indeed,  they  were  more  uniform  than  the  conditions  would  have  been 
had  the  gas  been  burned  at  the  different  localities  under  the  ordinary- 
conditions  attending  the  utilization  of  gas  for  the  production  of  steam, 
or  for  other  manufacturing  purposes.  Therefore,  differences  resulting 
from  barometric  pressure,  and  radiation,  etc.,  have  been  disregarded, 
since  they  would  only  burden  the  article  with  calculations,  without 
materially  affecting  the  results.  With  regard  to  the  temperature  of  the 
gases,  however,  the  various  temperatures  have  been  reduced  by  calcula- 
tion to  0°  C.  wherever  hydrogen  is  taken  as  a  standard  of  fuel  value. 
Wherever  the  standard  of  comparison  is  the  average  sample  of  Stockton 
natural  gas,  a  common  temperature  of  16.18^  C.  is  employed,  for  the 
latter  figures  represent  the  average  temperature  at  which  the  experi- 
ments were  conducted  in  Stockton. 

The  reader  will  gather  some  idea  of  the  parity  of  the  conditions 
attending  the  different  experiments  herein  recorded,  by  carefully 
inspecting  and  comparing  the  figures  given  in  the  accompanying  tables, 
wherein  the  conditions  attending  the  various  experiments  are  noted. 
The  apartments  in  which  the  experiments  were  made  with  hydrogen  at 
San  Francisco,  and  with  natural  gas  at  Stockton  and  Sacramento,  were 
practically  free  from  draft,  and  the  prevailing  temperatures  of  the  air,  and 
probably  of  the  walls  of  those  apartments,  exhibited  a  difference  of  less 
than  3°  C.  The  mean  temperatures  reached  by  the  water  in  the  experi- 
ments in  Stockton  and  San  Francisco,  after  deducting  the  temperatures  of 
the  air,  also  exhibited  no  greater  difference.  It  follows,  therefore,  that  the 
loss  by  radiation  and  conduction  would  be  very  similar  in  the  experiments 
made  at  these  places.  The  mean  temperature  reached  by  the  water  in 
the  experiments  at  Sacramento,  after  deducting  the  temperature  of  the 
air,  was  considerably  less  than  was  the  case  in  the  experiments  at 
Stockton  and  San  Francisco.  Other  things  being  equal,  it  follows, 
therefore,  that  the  loss  of  heat  by  radiation  and  conduction  in  the 
experiments  made  at  Sacramento  would  be  less  than  in  those  made  at 
Stockton  and  San  Francisco.  In  the  experiments  made  at  the  Barker 
ranch  and  at  the  Sunset  Oil  District,  the  temperatures  of  both  water 
and  air  were  higher  than  was  the  case  in  the  previous  experiments. 
The  loss  of  heat  by  radiation  and  conduction  was  therefore  approxi- 
mately estimated  by  experiment  in  each  of  those  places;  and  it  proved 
to  be  very  nearly  the  same  as  it  was  in  the  experiment  with  hydrogen. 

The  method  employed  to  approximate  the  loss  by  radiation  and  con- 
duction was  the  same  at  San  Francisco,  the  Barker  ranch,  and  the 
Sunset  Oil  District.  It  was  as  follows:  Immediately  after  making  the 
experiments  to  determine  the  fuel  value  of  a  sample  of  gas,  a  boilerful 
of  water  was  heated  to  a  temperature  equal  to  the  temperature  of  the 
air,  plus  half  the  number  of  degrees  that  the  water  had  been  raised  above 
the  temperature  of  the  air  in  the  corresponding  fuel-value  experiments. 
The  boilerful  of  heated  water  was  then  allowed  to  cool  for  a  time 
equal  to  the  time  occupied  by  the  respective  fuel-value  experiments,  and 
the  amount  of  heat  lost  was  noted.  An  examination  of  the  before  men- 
tioned tables  shows  that  the  difference  in  the  temperature  of  the  air  in 
the  fuel-value  experiments  was  compensated  by  the  difference  in  temper- 
ature at  which  the  products  of  combustion  were  lost.  It  must  also  be 
noticed  that  the  fuel  value  obtained  for  the  natural  gas  at  the  Barker 


—  81  — 

ranch  and  the  Sunset  Oil  District,  as  compared  with  that  obtained  for 
the  other  samples  of  gas  tested,  was  slightly  lessened  by  the  barometric 
pressure  being  a  little  less  at  the  Barker  ranch  and  at  the  Sunset  Oil  Dis- 
trict, than  it  was  at  Stockton,  Sacramento,  or  San  Francisco. 


COMPARISON     OF 


STOCKTON    NATURAL    GAS   WITH    NATURAL   GAS    IN    EASTERN 
STATES. 


Let  US  now  compare  the  fuel  value  of  the  Stockton  gas  with  the  fuel 
value  of  samples  of  natural  gas  from  wells  in  the  Eastern  States. 

The  following  analyses  were  made  by  S.  A.  Ford,  Chemist  to  the 
Edgar  Thomson  Steel  Works,  Pennsylvania,  as  quoted  in  "  Chemical 
Technology,"  by  Groves  and  Thorp,  vol.  1,  p.  290: 

Analyses  of  Natural  Gas. 


No.  1. 


No. 


No.  3. 


When  tested 

Carbonic  di-oxide  (COj)- 
Carbonous  oxide  (CO)... 

Oxygen  (Oo) 

01efiantgas(C,H4) 

Ethylic  hydrid'e  (CaHg). 

Marsh  gas  (CH4) 

Hydrogen  (Ho) .-- 

Nitrogen  (N,) -- 


Oct.  28,  1884. 

.80  per  ct. 

1.00  per  ct. 

1.10  per  ct. 

.70  per  ct. 

3.60  per  ct. 

72.18  per  ct. 

20.02  per  ct. 

nil. 


Heat  units  (in  100  liters). 


728.746  pe^^. 


Oct.  29,  1884. 

.60  per  ct. 

.80  per  ct. 

.80  per  ct. 

.80  per  ct. 

5.50  per  ct. 

65.25  per  ct. 

26.16  per  ct. 

nil. 


Nov.  24,  1884. 

nil. 

.58  per  ct. 

.78  per  ct. 

.98  per  ct. 

7.92  per  ct. 

60.70  per  ct. 

29.03  per  ct. 

nil. 


B.752  pep-et. 


627.170  penit. 


No.  4. 


No.  6. 


When  tested 

Carbonic  di-oxide  (CO,). 
Carbonous  oxide  (CO)!-. 

Oxygen  (0,) - -- 

defiant  gas(CoH.) 

Ethylic  hydride  (CaHg) . 

Marsh  gas  (CH4)  ..*. 

Hydrogen  (H,) - 

Nitrogen  (N,) 


Dec.  4,  1884. 

.40  per  ct. 

.40  per  ct. 

.80  per  ct. 

.60  per  ct. 

12.30  per  ct. 

49.58  per  ct. 

35.92  per  ct. 

nil. 


Heat  units  (in  100  liters) . .  - 745.813  per  ct. 


Oct.  18,  1884. 
nil. 

1.00  per  ct. 

2.10  per  ct. 

.80  per  ct. 

5.20  per  ct. 

57.85  per  ct. 

9.64  per  ct. 

23.41  per  ct. 


Oct.  25,  1884. 

.30  per  ct. 

.60  per  ct. 

1.20  per  ct. 

.60  per  ct. 

4.80  per  ct. 

75.16  per  ct. 

14.45  per  ct. 

2.89  per  ct. 


592.380  i>eF^. 


745.591  per  ct. 


It  is  here  assumed  that  these  heat  units  are  similar  to  the  heat  units 
used  by  the  author  quoted,  when,  in  another  paragraph  of  the  work 
referred  to,  he  estimates  the  fuel  value  of  an  average  sample  of  natural 
gas.  The  first  four  samples  were  taken  from  the  same  well  on  the  day 
that  the  gas  was  analyzed;  the  last  two  are  from  different  wells  in  the 
East  Liberty  District.  Referring  to  various  authorities,  it  is  found  that 
the  foregoing  figures  fairly  represent  the  average  composition  of  the 
Eastern  natural  gas,  and  it  is  evident  tliat  the  greatest  factor  in  influ- 
encing the  fuel  value  is  the  amount  of  nitrogen  present. 

In  the  before-mentioned  work  on  fuels,  Mr.  Ford  is  quoted  as  saying: 
"  I  have  found  that  gas  from  the  same  well  continually  varies  in  com- 
position. Thus,  samples  of  gas  from  the  same  well,  but  taken  at  differ- 
ent days,  varied  in  nitrogen  from  23  per  cent  to  nil;  in  carbonic  acid, 
from  2  per  cent  to  nil;  in  oxygen,  from  4  per  cent  to  0.4  per  cent,  and 
so  on  with  all  the  component  gases." 
6m 


—  82  ~ 

In  the  same  work  it  is  stated  that  an  average  sample  of  Eastern  natu- 
ral gas  has  approximately  the  following  composition: 

Carbonic  di-oxide  (CO.,) 0.60  per  cent. 

Carbonous  oxide  (CO)..- --- - --    0.60  per  cent. 

Oxygen  (Oo) --- ---- 0.80  per  cent. 

OleHant  gas(C.,IT4) - - l.OQ  percent. 

Ethylic  hydride  (C.Hs) --- --     5.00  per  cent. 

Marsh  gas  (CH4).;. - - , 67.00  per  cent. 

Hydrogen  (H,) 22.00  percent. 

Nitrogen  (No)" - ----     3.00  per  cent. 

The  same  author  goes  on  to  show  that  100  liters  of  this  gas  contain 
789,694  heat  units,  and  he  states  that  64.8585  grammes  of  carbon  have 
a  calorific  value  equal  to  524,046  of  these  units,  and  that  1,000  cubic 
feet  of  the  average  sample  of  natural  gas  have  a  fuel  value  equal  to  that 
of  62.97  pounds  of  coke  carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash. 

Carrying  the  calculation  a  little  further,  and  allowing  for  the  latent 
heat  of  steam,  which  it  is  necessary  to  do  in  order  to  compare  the 
relative  fuel  values  of  the  Eastern  and  of  the  Stockton  gases  under  the 
conditions  attending  the  combustion  of  the  gas  in  the  experiments  at 
Stockton,  and  which  usually  attends  the  combustion  of  gas  in  practical 
use,  we  find  that  in  round  figures  1,000  cubic  feet  of  the  average  sample 
of  Eastern  gas  has  a  fuel  value  equal  to  that  of  58  pounds  of  coke  carry- 
ing 10  per  cent  of  ash. 

Taking  the  average  sample  of  Stockton  gas  as  having  a  fuel  value  of 
1 ,000  feet  equal  to  that  of  50  pounds  of  coke,  such  as  that  to  which  Mr. 
Ford  compared  the  Eastern  gas,  we  find  that  the  fuel  value  of  the  Stock- 
ton gas  is  about  16  per  cent  less  than  that  of  the  sample  of  Eastern  gas 
above  estimated.  We  also  find  by  referring  to  the  analyses  of  the  Stock- 
ton gas,  made  by  Price  &  Son,  that  this  difference  in  fuel  value  is  princi- 
pally occasioned  by  the  amount  of  nitrogen  present.  If  we  compare 
the  heat  units  as  given  for  100  liters  of  the  average  sample  of  Eastern 
natural  gas  with  the  heat  units  given  for  100  liters  of  sample  No.  5  of 
Eastern  gas  analyzed  by  Mr.  Ford,  we  find  that  sample  No.  5  has  a  fuel 
value  practically  equal  to  that  of  47  pounds  of  coke  for  every  1 ,000  cubic 
feet  of  the  gas.  Research  shows  that  gases  containing  a  high  per  cent 
of  nitrogen  are  by  no  means  uncommon  in  the  Eastern  States,  and  that 
large  industries  have  been  developed  on  account  of  natural  gas,  which 
from  existing  data  may  be  inferred  to  have  an  average  fuel  value  not 
much  in  excess  of  that  of  the  Stockton  natural  gas.  It  is  to  be  borne  in 
mind  that  large  volumes  of  water  flow  from  the  gas  wells  at  Stockton ;  and 
it  is  probable  that  the  nitrogen  is  largely  derived  from  the  air  which  is 
drawn  down  with  the  water  when  it  sinks  into  the  ground  at  the  head 
of  the  artesian  system.  This  air  is  most  likely  deoxygenized  by  ferrous 
iron  or  other  bases  as  it  accompanies  the  water  in  its  journey  to  a  lower 
level;  the  result  being,  that  a  large  amount  of  nitrogen  is  liberated  with 
the  water  from  the  artesian  wells.  We  may  conclude  from  these  con- 
siderations that  if  the  water  were  shut  off,  and  the  gas  obtained  from 
lower  strata,  not  only  would  the  flow  of  gas  be  enormously  increased, 
but  its  quality  improved.  It  is  also  probable  that  were  the  wells  tightly 
cased  so  as  to  shut  ofl'  both  gas  and  water  for  the  first  1,500  feet,  much 
of  the  nitrogen  would  be  excluded. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  the  comparison  between  the  Stockton  natural 
gas  and  other  gases  which  are  used  as  fuel.  The  analyses  of  five  sam- 
ples of  the  Siemen's  producer  gas,  as  given  in  the  "  Transactions  of  the 


—  83  — 

American  Institute  of  Mining   Engineers,"  and  quoted   in  "  Chemical 
Technology,"  by  Grove  and  Thorp,  vol.  1,  is  as  follows: 


Carbonic  di-oxide  (CO,) 


6.1  per  ct. '     8.6  per  ct. 


3.9  per  ct.  |    9.3  per  ct.  |    1.5  per  ct. 

Carbonous  oxide  (CO)'. 27.3  per  ct.    16.5  per  ct.  i  23.6  per  ct.    22.3  per  ct.  i  20.0  per  ct. 

Hydrogen  (H,) ■    8.6  per  ct.  j    6.0  per  ct.    28.7  per  ct.  j     8.7  per  ct. 

Marsh  gas  (C 114) 1.4  per  ct.      2.7  per  ct.  j    3.0  per  ct.      1.0  per  ct.  1     1.2  per  ct. 

Nitrogen  (No) 67.4  per  ct.    62.9  per  ct.    65.9  per  ct.  '  41.9  per  ct.     61.4  per  ct. 

Assuming  that  these  percentage  compositions  are  volumetric,  and 
eliminating  the  smaller  fractions,  we  obtain  by  the  methods  of  calcula- 
tion heretofore  employed  in  this  article,  the  following  equivalents  of 
fuel  value: 


1,000  cubic  feet  of  sample  a  =   8.0  lbs.  of  coke  carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash, 
1,000  cubic  feet  of  sample  h  =    8.2  lbs.  of  coke  carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash 
1,000  cubic  feet  of  sample  c  ^    9.6  lbs.  of  coke  carry ' 
1,000  cubic  feet  of  sample  d  =  13.0  lbs.  of  coke  carry 


ing  10  per  cent  of  ash', 
ng  10  per  cent  of  ash. 


1,000  cubic  feet  of  sample  e  ■■=    S.O  lbs.  of  coke  carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash 

The  average  fuel  value,  therefore,  of  these  samples  of  producer  gas  is 
1,000  cubic  feet,  equal  to,  practically,  9.3  pounds  of  coke  carrying  10 
per  cent  of  ash. 

A  description  of  by  far  the  best  producer  gas  of  which  the  writer  can 
find  any  record  is  to  be  found  in  "  Grove  and  Thorp's  Chemical  Tech- 
nology," vol.  1,  pp.  261-285.     It  is  there  stated  as  follows: 

"  The  best  quality  of  (producer)  gas  obtained  in  practice  seems  to  have 
been  that  produced  by  the  Strong  water  gas  apparatus.  The  following 
is  an  analysis  of  the  dry  gas,  after  having  been  washed,  made  by  Dr. 
G.  E.  Moore,  of  Jersey  City,  for  the  American  Gas,  Fuel,  and  Light  Com- 
pany, New  York,  who  own  the  patent  for  the  Lowe  and  Strong  apparatus: 

"Strong^'  Gas  Composition  by  Volume. 

Oxygen  (0,) -- 0.77  per  cent. 

Carbonic  di-oxide  (CO,) - -- 2.05  per  cent. 

Nitrogen  (N,) - - 4.43  per  cent. 

Carbonous  oxide  (CO).- 35.88  per  cent. 

Hydrogen  (H,) 52.76  per  cent. 

Marsh  gas  (Cfl4) ^ 4.11  per  cent. 

100.00  per  cent. 

From  this  formula  we  find  by  calculation  that  1,000  cubic  feet  of  this 
gas  have  a  fuel  value  practically  equal  to  that  of  23.9  pounds  of  coke 
carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash.  In  this  estimation  it  is  assumed  that  the 
oxygen  in  the  "dry  gas"  was  free;  if  it  were  combined  with  hydrogen, 
about  half  a  pound  of  coke  would  have  to  be  deducted  from  the  coke 
equivalents  given. 

In  the  "Transactions  of  the  American  Institute  of  Mining  Engineers," 
vol.  19,  we  find  the  following  remarks  on  producer  and  petroleum  water 
gas.  Referring  to  the  producer  gas,  two  average  samples  are  quoted 
which  were  the  products  of  the  following  processes: 

Method  A. — Open  grates;  no  steam  in  blasts.  Loss  of  carbon  in  ash, 
20  per  cent  weight  of  coal.  Carbon  gasified  62  per  cent  weight  of  coal. 
Loss  of  potential  heat  in  ash  per  kilo  of  coal,  1,616  kilo  calories. 

Method  B. — Open  grates;  steam  jet  in  blast.     Loss  of  ciirbon  in  ash. 


—  84 


6  per  cent  weight  of  coal.    Loss  of  potential  heat  in  ash  per  kilo  of  coal, 
4,848  kilo  calories. 

Analysis  of  Producer  Gas.    (Calculated  as  one  cubic  foot.) 


CO2 

O2 

C2H4 

CO 

H2 

CH4 

N2 

Sample  A         .  .     . 

4.84 
5.30 

0.40 
0.54 

0.34 
0.36 

22.10 
22.74 

6.80 
8.37 

3.74 
2.56 

61.73 

Sample  B . 

60.13 

We  find  that  1,000  cubic  feet  of  sample  A  has  a  fuel  value  practically 
equivalent  to  10.2  pounds  of  coke  carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash,  and  that 
the  fuel  value  of  1,000  feet  of  sample  B  equals  9.7  pounds  of  similar 
coke. 

Referring  to  petroleum  water  gas,  the  same  records  state  that  "the 
following  are  analyses  of  various  gases  taken  from  furnace  using  oil 
fuel": 

Sample  of  Gas  taken  after  passing  through  Checkers. 


CO, 

C2H4 

(>2 

CO 

H2 

CH4 

N2 

No.  1 --- -- 

4.6 
5.6 
4.4 
6.6 
4.0 
4.0 
4.4 

0.0 
0.4 
0.0 
0.0 
7.6 
7.6 
3.6 

1.8 
2.0 
4.0 
0.6 
2.0 
2.0 
2.4 

9.6 
11.2 
6.4 
10.0 
5.4 
5.4 
6.0 

51.6 
51.8 
42.2 
37.3 
44.1 
46.5 
44.4 

0.4 

7.2 

7.0 

7.6 

22.1 

23.1 

19.0 

24.0 

No.  2 -- 

21.8 

No.  3        - 

36.0 

No.  4                              

37.9 

No.  5 -- -  

17.0 

No.  6               --. 

11.4 

No.  7 - --- 

20.2 

TT    J  /I     +  „™     (  Sample  1 240  grammes  per  C.  M. 

Undecomposed  steam.  1  gam  pie  2 . 122  frammes  per  C.  M. 

The  oil  gas  referred  to  in  these  analyses  was  made  by  vaporizing 
crude  petroleum  by  a  jet  of  superheated  steam  and  heating  the  mixture 
to  300°  or  400°  C.  If  such  a  mixture  of  vapors  is  put  into  the  hot 
chamber  of  a  regenerative  furnace,  the  reaction  caused  by  the  high  tem- 
perature, thorough  mixing,  and  impact,  creates  permanent  gases  with 
decomposition  of  carbon.  The  steam  brings  with  it  some  oxygen  and 
nitrogen,  which  are  dissolved  in  the  water  in  the  boilers,  and  this  oxy- 
gen, together  with  that  of  the  steam,  tends  to  pick  up  the  deposit  of 
carbon  with  liberation  of  hydrogen. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  foregoing  analyses  of  petroleum  water  gas 
show  a  wide  variation  of  composition.  The  first  four  samples  were 
taken  after  the  gas  had  traversed  about  5  feet  of  open  hearth  checker- 
work  at  a  temperature  of  1,200°  C.  The  last  three  samples  were  taken 
after  it  had  passed  through  3  feet  of  heating  furnace  in  checker-work 
at  a  much  lower  temperature,  and  represent  the  oil  vapors  in  various 
stages  of  decomposition.  The  presence  of  so  much  free  oxygen,  the 
high  per  cent  of  carbonic  di-oxide,  and  the  large  amount  of  steam  when 
considered  in  connection  with  carbonaceous  components,  illustrate 
plainly  the  fact  that  a  long  time  and  high  temperature  are  necessary  for 
the  completion  of  the  reactions  incident  to  the  gasification  of  oil  fuel. 

The  average  composition  of  the  samples  of  the  petroleum  water  gas 
mentioned  is  therefore  as  follows: 


—  85  — 


CO2    iC2H4 


From  the  first  four  samples  of  fixed  gas 5.30     0.10 

From  the  last  three  samples 4.13  1   5.73 


0,       CO      H, 


2.10      9.30    45.72 
1.93  I   5.60  145.00 


CHJ    N, 


7.55      29.92 
21.40  ,    16.20 


By  calculation  it  is  found  that  1,000  cubic  feet  of  gas  representing  the 
average  of  the  first  four  samples  of  petroleum  water  gas  have  a  fuel  value 
of  practically  17.4  pounds  of  coke  carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash.  In  like 
manner,  it  is  seen  that  an  average  sample  representing  the  last  three 
samples  of  petroleum  water  gas  have  a  fuel  value  practically  equal  to 
that  of  33  pounds  of  coke  carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash. 

Having  reviewed  to  some  extent  the  composition  and  fuel  value  of 
California  and  Eastern  natural  gas  and  producer  and  petroleum  water 
gas,  it  is  interesting  to  compare  them  with  a  gas  made  by  the  destructive 
distillation  of  coal  before  the  introduction  of  producer  and  petroleum 
water  gases. 

Let  us  take  the  analysis  made  by  Bunsen  of  gas  prepared  from  Can- 
nel  coal  in  Manchester,  England,  calculated  as  one  cubic  foot.  (See 
Bunsen's  Gasometry,  p.  113.) 

Hydrogen  (H,) - ---  45.48  percent. 

Marsh  gas(Cll4) - - 34.90  per  cent. 

Carbonous  oxide  (CO) - -.- 6.64  per  cent. 

ElayUC^H.) .- - 4.08  per  cent. 

Ditetrvl  (CgHg) 2.38  percent. 

Sulphuretted  hydrogen  (H,S) -.-  .29  per  cent. 

Nitrogen  (N2) -- 2.46  per  cent. 

Carbonic  di-oxide  (CO,)  - -■  3.67  percent. 

100.00  per  cent. 

By  calculation  it  is  found  that  1,000  cubic  feet  of  this  gas  have,  in 
round  numbers,  a  fuel  value  of  51  pounds  of  coke  carrying  10  per  cent 
of  ash. 

Disregarding  fractions,  the  gases  thus  far  considered  represent  the  fol- 
lowing fuel  values,  as  compared  with  coke  carrying  10  per  cent  of  ash. 

Eastern  natural  gas  (considered  by  Mr.  Ford  to  be  of  average 

composition) Fuel  value  ^  58  lbs.  of  coke. 

Sample  of  Manchester  coal  gas - Fuel  value  =  51  lbs.  of  coke. 

Average  of  Stockton  gas.. Fuel  value  =;  50  lbs.  of  coke. 

Sample  of  natural  gas  No.  5,  from  East  Liberty,  Pa Fuel  value  =^  47  lbs.  of  coke. 

Petroleum  water  gas  before  becoming  a  fixed  gas,  described 

in  the  "Transactions  of  the  American  Institute  of  Mining 

Engineers,"  vol.  19 .- Fuel  value  =  33  lbs.  of  coke. 

Petroleum  water  gas  as  a  fixed  gas  (from  same  authority)  ..Fuel  value  =  17  lbs.  of  coke. 
Water  gas  from  analysis  made  for  the  owners  of  the  I^owe 

it  Strong  patents - - Fuel  value  =  24  lbs.  of  coke. 

Siemens  producer  gas,  from  average  of  analyses Fuel  value  =:   9  lbs.  of  coke. 

Sample  A,  producer  gas,  referred  to  in  the  'Transactions  of 

the  American  Institute  of  Mining  Engineers,"  vol.  19 Fuel  value  =  10  lbs.  of  coke. 

Sample  B  (from  same  authority) Fuel  value  =    9  lbs.  of  coke. 

In  the  calculations  on  which  the  above  figures  are  based,  the  writer 
estimated  the  gases  as  possessing  a  temperature  of  0°  C,  and  as  being 
subjected  to  a  pressure  of  one  atmosphere.  He  disregarded  the  fact  that 
in  his  physical  experiments  with  natural  gas  at  Stockton  the  gas  was 
measured  under  a  pressure  of  six-tenths  of  an  inch  of  water;  for  the 
increase  in  the  fuel  value  of  the  gas  resulting  from  so  slight  a  pressure 
would  be  less  than  a  quarter  of  one  per  cent. 


—  86  — 

The  coke  to  which  the  gases  mentioned  in  this  article  are  compared  is 
supposed  to  have  a  composition  of  carbon  90  per  cent  and  ash  10  per  cent. 

RELATIVE     FUEL     VALUE     OF     STOCKTON    NATURAL     GAS    AND     PACIFIC    COAST 

SOLID    FUELS. 

The  reader  will  doubtless  be  curious  to  learn  how  the  Stockton  natural 
gas  compares  in  fuel  value  with  the  solid  fuels  obtainable  on  the  Pacific 
Coast.  Unfortunately  the  writer  has  been  unable  to  find  any  ultimate 
analyses  of  California  coals,  although  numerous  proximate  analyses  have 
been  made.  In  the  Census  Reports  on  Mining,  however,  there  are  both 
the  ultimate  and  proximate  analyses  of  several  samples  of  coals  and 
lignites  from  the  State  of  Washington.  With  this  data  at  command 
there  is  submitted  for  comparison  the  proximate  analyses  of  coals  to  be 
found  in  the  market  of  California,  and  the  average  composition  of  coal 
and  lignites  from  Washington,  which  the  writer  has  calculated  from  the 
proximate  and  ultimate  analyses  given  in  the  Census  Report  on  Mining. 
Moreover,  by  means  of  the  ultimate  analyses  of  the  coal-  and  lignites 
from  Washington,  the  caloric  value  of  these  solid  fuels  can  be  compared 
with  the  Stockton  natural  gas. 


Analyses  of  some  Coals  and  Lignites  used  in  California. 

f     Water        Volatile 
[     water.        Matter. 

Fixed 
Carbon. 

Ash.         Sulphur. 

•1 

Sample  of  coal  from  California  Mine, 
Fresno  County.    (Analyzed  by  Dr. 
W.   D.  Johnston,    Chemist    to    the 
California  State  Mining  Bureau)  ...          11.25 

lone  coal,  from  Mine  No.  3  of  lone 
Coal  and  Iron  Co.    (Analyzed  by 
Dr.  W.  D.Johnston) 13.25 

Mount  Diablo  coal.  Black  Diamond 
vein.    (As  given  in  State  Geological 
Survey  Report,  Geology  of  Califor- 
nia, vol.  1,  p.  30)  - -.-          14.68 

Seattle  coal,  average  of  two  samples. 
(Analyzed  by  Mr.  H.  G.  Hanks;  see 
Vllth   Report  of    California  State 
Mining  Bureau) 9.18 

Wellington      coal.      (Analyzed      by 
Messrs.  Price  &  Son) .-..            0.99 

48.50 
49.00 

33.89 

36.90 
29.09 

31.40 
27.25 

46.84 

46.99 
64.97 

8.85 
10.50 

5.52 

6.46 
3.51 

1.44 

Referring  to  the  Tenth  Census  Report,  Vol.  XV,  and  the  proximate 
analyses  of  coals  and  lignites  as  given  therein,  we  find  that  samples  11, 
12,  19,  20,  21,  33,  34,  35,  36,  37,  64,  and  65  are  coking  coals,  although  in 
three  instances  the  coke  does  not  appear  to  have  any  value.  We  also 
find  that  samples  68,  69,  71,  80,  47,  23,  25,  and  26  are  non-coking  coals, 
or  coals  of  which  the  coke  is  worthless.  By  calculation  from  the  data 
given  in  the  census  report,  we  obtain  the  following  average  compositions: 

From  Proximate  Analyses  of  Coals  and  Lignites  from  Washington. 


Coking  coal 

Non-coking  coal 


Water. 


1.70 
3.23 


Volatile 
Matter. 


Fixed 
Carbon. 


Ash. 


Sulphur. 


31.28 
32.32 


54.11 
52.15 


12.90 
12.36 


0.65 
0.53 


—  87  — 

From  Ultimate  Analyses  of  the  Combustible  Matter  Contained  in  Same  Samples. 


Carbon. 


Hydrogen. 


Oxygen  and 
Nitrogen. 


Coking  coal 

Non-coking  coal. 


83.31 
82.52 


5.26 
4.81 


11.43 
12.66 


Regarding  the  water,  ash,  and  sulphur  in  these  average  samples  as 
inert,  for  the  calorific  e^ect  of  the  sulphur  is  offset  by  the  heat  required 
to  convert  the  hygroscopic  water  into  steam,  it  is  found  by  calculation 
that  the  relative  fuel  value  of  these  samples  of  coal  is  practically  as  fol- 
lows: 

Sample  of  non-coking  coal  =6,977  kilo  calories  per  kilogramme. 

Sample  of  coking  coal,         =;  7,122  kilo  calories  per  kilogramme. 

Referring  to  "Chemical  Technology,"  by  Groves  &  Thorp,  vol.  1, 
p.  57,  the  analyses  of  the  ten  samples  of  anthracite  were  given.  As  in 
the  case  of  the  Washington  coals,  the  writer,  for  the  purpose  of  esti- 
mating the  fuel  value,  calculated  the  average  composition  of  the  ten 
samples,  and  found  it  to  be  practically  as  follows: 

Carbon - 89.88  per  cent. 

Hydrogen.. 2.J-0  per  cent. 

Oxygen,  nitrogen,  and  sulphur.. 4.01  per  cent. 

Ash 3.63  per  cent. 

Simply  regarding  the  carbon  and  hydrogen  as  the  calorific  constitu- 
ents of  this  average  sample  of  anthracite,  it  is  found  by  calculation  that 
it  possesses  a  fuel  value  of  practically  8,092  kilo  calories  per  kilogramme. 

Referring  to  the  previous  calculations  with  regard  to  the  Stockton 
natural  gas,  it  can  readily  be  seen  that  1,000  feet  of  that  gas  at  a  tem- 
perature of  16.18°  C.  have  a  fuel  value  of  practically  155,900  kilo  calo- 
ries. Thus  it  is  found  that  the  relative  fuel  value  of  the  Stockton 
natural  gas  and  the  coals,  estimated,  is  as  follows: 

]  ton  of  anthracite. =47,000  cu.  ft.  of  Stockton  natural  gas. 

1  ton  of  average  sample  of  cok- 
ing coal  from  Washington =41,360  cu.  ft.  of  Stockton  natural  gas. 

1  ton  of  average  sample  of  non- 
coking  coal  from  Washington.  =:  40,700  cu.  ft.  of  Stockton  natural  gas. 

In  our  Vllth  Annual  Report  a  short  table  was  published  showing  the 
relative  fuel  value  of  twelve  different  kinds  of  coal  which  are  still  in 
great  demand  in  the  California  market.  The  relative  fuel  values,  as 
shown  in  the  table,  are  approximate,  and  were  derived  from  practical 
experiments  by  the  Spring  Valley  Water  Company,  Messrs.  Garratt, 
and  others.  As  the  demand  for  the  Vllth  Annual  Report  has  long  ago 
exhausted  the  edition,  it  will  be  in  order  to  reproduce  the  table,  and  to 
add  thereto  a  colunm  giving  in  round  figures  the  number  of  feet  of 
Stockton  gas  required  to  do  the  same  amount  of  work  as  could  be  done 
by  a  ton  of  each  variety  of  coal  named.  Assuming  anthracite  to  have 
a  fuel  value  as  calculated,  and  applying  its  equivalent  in  Stockton 
natural  gas  to  the  table  mentioned,  we  obtain,  in  round  figures,  the 
following  schedule: 


88  — 


Relative  Fuel  Value  of  Different  Coals  as  Compared  with  Each   Other,  and  as  Compared 

to  Stockton  Natural  Gas. 


Kind  of  Coal. 


Relative 

Fuel 

Value. 


Remarks. 


Cubic  Feet  of  Gas 

Equal  to  1  Ton  of 

2,000  lbs.  of  Coal. 


Mt.  Diablo 

Seattle 

Sydney 

Welsh 

Bellingham  Bay 

Nanaimo 

Anthracite 

Wellington 

Nanaimo 

Wellington 

Seattle 

Seattle 


1,000 
1,170 
1,502 
1,472 
1,148 
1,277 
1,546 
1,407 
1,335 
1,295 
1,177 
1,330 


Experiments   at  Spring  Valley 
Water  Works 


[  Exp'ts  at  Garratt's  foundry - 

Experiments  on  ferry-boat 

Probable  results  of  test  on  C.  P.  R.  R. 


80,400 
35,570 
45,660 
44,750 
34,900 
38,800 
47,000 
42,710 
40,580 
39,370 
35,780 
40,430 


As  might  be  expected,  the  variable  quality  of  different  consignments 
of  coal  and  the  different  conditions  attending  the  last  four  experiments, 
occasioned  a  difference  in  results;  but  no  doubt  the  series  of  tests  made 
by  the  Spring  Valley  AVater  Company  afford  the  most  accurate  means 
of  comparison,  for  their  experiments  appear  to  have  been  conducted 
under  approximately  similar  conditions. 

Having  compared  the  relative  calorific  value  of  1,000  feet  of  Stockton 
natural  gas  with  that  of  one  ton  of  an  average  sample  of  bituminous 
coal  from  Washington,  it  is  found  that  the  gas  at  30  cents  a  thousand 
cubic  feet  is  as  cheap  a  fuel  as  the  coal  would  be  at  $12  30  a  ton  of  2,000 
pounds.  If  we  take  the  last  six  samples  of  bituminous  coal  used  in  the 
practical  experiments  made  at  the  Spring  Valley  Waterworks  and  com- 
pare them  with  their  fuel  equivalent  in  gas,  about  the  same  figures  are 
obtained  as  those  arrived  at  by  calculation  from  the  analysis  of  the  coal 
from  Washington. 

Hitherto  we  have  only  considered  the  value  of  the  natural  gas  as 
demonstrated  by  comparing  its  calorific  value  with  that  of  the  other 
fuels.  The  advantages  that  manufacturers  have  experienced  by  using 
gas  instead  of  solid  fuel  should  also  be  considered  briefly.  It  is  shown 
in  an  able  article  on  natural  gas,  by  Mr.  J.  D.  Weeks,  which  is  published 
in  "  Mineral  Resources  of  the  United  States,  1885,"  that  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  flint  glass  a  saving  of  46  per  cent  was  effected  by  using  natural 
gas  instead  of  coal,  to  which  might  be  added  the  saving  in  wear  and 
tear  of  furnace  and  in  labor;  moreover,  a  better  quality  of  glass  was 
produced  than  when  solid  fuel  was  used.  The  records  of  the  steel  and 
iron  industry  are  replete  with  evidence  of  the  saving  occasioned  by  the 
use  of  gaseous  fuel,  especially  in  the  matter  of  labor. 

A  great  reduction  in  the  amount  of  "  waste  iron  "  has  also  been  noted, 
and  the  item  of  repairs,  which  is  a  large  one  in  this  industrj^,  is  reduced 
to  the  minimum.  A  saving  of  $3  to  the  ton  of  bar  iron  is  regarded  as 
a  very  conservative  estimate  where  gas  is  used,  as  against  the  production 
of  one  ton  of  bar  iron  by  any  other  fuel.  In  this  connection  much  that 
is  said  about  the  advantages  to  be  derived  from  using  producer  and 
petroleum  gases  will  doubly  apply  in  the  use  of  natural  gas;  and  we 
have  already  seen  how  the  actual  calorific  values  of  these  gases  compare 
with  one  another. 

We  learn  in  the  "  Transactions  of  the  American  Institute  of  Mining 
Engineers,"  vol.  19,  p.  1005,  in  speaking  of  the  producer  gas,  that,  even 


—  89  — 

where  coal  was  only  $3  a  ton,  many  large  firms  eflected  a  direct  gain  of 
from  33^  to  50  per  cent  in  labor,  and  over  40  per  cent  in  fuel,  by  the 
substitution  of  producer  gas  for  coal.  This  economy  resulted  from  the 
gas  requiring  less  labor  and  the  furnace  less  repairs  than  was  the  case 
when  coal  was  used,  and  from  the  fact  that  the  combustion  of  the  gas 
left  no  solid  residue,  nor  did  it  produce  deleterious  vapors.  Other 
reasons  were  that  the  quality  of  the  gas  was  uniform,  and  its  combus- 
tion complete;  that  the  gas  was  self-transporting,  and  that  it  could  be 
ignited  under  any  desired  conditions,  producing  a  quick,  sharp-heating 
flame  of  high  temperature. 

In  the  Eastern  States  it  has  been  estimated  that  in  practical  use 
20,000  feet  of  producer  gas  often  accomplished  better  results  than  a  ton 
of  coal  directly  fired,  although  it  will  be  seen  by  a  glance  at  what  has 
been  previously  said,  that  the  actual  calorific  value  of  20,000  feet  of 
producer  gas  is  very  much  less  than  that  of  one  ton  of  coal. 

The  before-mentioned  records  also  state  that  practical  working  has 
shown  that  in  melting  2,000  pounds  of  brass  in  100-pound  crucibles, 
12,000  feet  of  water  gas  were  consumed.  That  in  using  the  same  size  of 
crucibles  in  works  melting  from  5  to  10  tons  of  metal  a  day  with  coal, 
it  takes  2,000  pounds  of  coal  for  2,000  pounds  of  brass.  This  is  a  strik- 
ing comparison,  since  the  units  of  heat  in  the  coal  was  seven  and  one 
half  times  more  than  in  the  gas.  It  is  stated  that  one  ton  of  coal  will 
make  40,000  feet  of  water  gas,  which  will  accomplish  as  much  as  three 
and  a  half  tons  of  coal. 

It  is  obvious  that  the  economy  experienced  by  the  use  of  gas  in 
metallurgical  industries  extends  to  every  manufacture  and  domestic 
requirement  where  heat  is  needed. 

RECORD    OF    DISTILLATION    TESTS    OF    SAMPLES    OF    OIL    MENTIONED    IN    THIS 

BULLETIN. 

I5ample  from  Oil  Springs  on  Rathhurn  Oil  Claim,  Colusa  County. 

Specific  Gravity. 

Crude  oil -.    0.982,  about  13°  B. 

Distillate  below  250°  Centigrade 1.00  per  cent. 

Distillate  between  250°  and  325°  Centigrade -    60.00  per  cent.    0.950,  about  18°  B. 

Nearly  all  of  the  distillate  came  over  at  300°  Centigrade. 

Sample  from  Well  No.  3,  Group  2,  Sec.  28,  Sunset  Oil  District,  Kern  Count;/. 

Specific  Gravity. 

Crude  oil - 0.956,  about  17°  B. 

Distillate  below  250°  C 1.00  percent. 

Distillate  below  320°  C 48.33  per  cent.    0.876,  about  30°  B. 

Sample  from  Well  No.  2,  Group  2,  Sunset  Oil  District. 

Specific  Gravity. 

Crude  oil 0.971,  about  14°  B. 

Distillate  below  250°  C,  about. .-       1.00  per  cent. 

Distillate  below  325°  C... 13.00  per  cent.    0.893,  about  27°  B. 

This  sample  of  oil  smelled  strongly  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen. 

Sample  from  Oil  Wells,  Group  1,  Stmset  Oil  District. 

Specific  Gravity. 

Crude  oil  (maltha) 1.01,  about  10°  B. 

Distillate  below  250°  G 0.60  percent. 

Distillate  below  320°  C 40.00  per  cent.    0.881,  about  29°  B. 

This  sample  was  obtained  from  a  tank  which  was  said  to  be  filled  with  a  mixture  of 
oils  from  Oil  Wells,  Group  1. 


—  90  — 

Samj)le  from  Well  near  Flowinq  Well,  Sunset  Oil  District. 

Specific  Gravity. 

Crudeoil _ .966,  about  15°  B 

Distillate  below  200°  C 0.60  per  cent.    .840,about  37°  B. 

Distillate  below  250°  C 5.00  per  cent.    .845,  about  36°  B. 

Distillate  below  300°  C ,- 8.60  per  cent.    .870,  about  31°  B. 

Distillate  below  320°  0. 5.20  per  cent.    .875,  about  30°  B. 

Sample  from  Oil  Well  penetrating   Dark-Colored  Shale  Formation  Nine   Miles  North  of 

Coalinga. 

Specific  Gravity. 

Crudeoil  .-. .852,  about  34°  B. 

Distillate  below  110°  C 0.60  per  cent. 

Distillate  below  150°  C -.  32.00  per  cent.    .799,  about  45°  B. 

Distillate  below  200°  C .  .- -..  27.60  per  cent.    .833,  about  38°  B. 

Distillate  below  250°  C - 16.60  per  cent.    .875,  about  30°  B. 

Distillate  below  320°  C -  12.00  per  cent.    .911,  about  24°  B. 

The  well  from  which  this  sample  of  oil  was  taken  penetrates  Cretaceous  formations. 

Sample  of  Oil  {Maltha)  from  Spring  in  Oil  District  South  of  Coalinga. 

Specific  Gravity. 

Crudeoil- _.     -.. ..-.     .974,  about  14°  B 

Distillate  below  250°  C.  (came  over  with  water) 1.00  per  cent. 

Distillate  below  320°  C 2.30  per  cent.    .820,  about  41°  B. 

Sample  from  Oil  Spring  in  Light-Colored  Shales,  Nine  Miles  North  of  Coalinga. 

Specific  Gravity. 

Crudeoil .    .988,  about  12°  B. 

Below  a  temperature  of  200°  C.  a  small  amount  of  oil 
came  over  with  water. 

Distillate  below  250°  C 2.30  per  cent. 

Distillate  below  320°  C... - 6.20  per  cent.    .961,  about  16°  B. 

Sample  from  Well  in  Vallecitos. 

Specific  Gravity. 

Crude  oil .-. ----    .975,  about  14°  B. 

Distillate  below  250°  C 1.43  percent. 

Distillate  below  320°  C...- 9.00  per  cent.    .886,  about  32°  B. 

PARTIAL  ANALYSES   OF   SAMPLES  OF  WATER   REFERRED  TO  IN   THIS   BULLETIN. 

In  order  to  determine  whether  or  not  the  water  from  the  wells  men- 
tioned in  the  foregoing  pages  is  of  any  value  as  brine,  the  following 
partial  analyses  were  made.  In  these  determinations  the  residues 
were  subjected  to  sufl&cient  heat  to  get  rid  of  any  hydrocarbons  present, 
without  decomposing  the  carbonate  of  lime:  . 

Water  from  Well  No.  3,  Oil  Wells  Group  3,  Sunset  Oil  District. 
Amount  of  sample  required  to  neutralize  one  gramme  of  sulphuric  acid,  2,766  cc. 

Grammes  to  Gallon. 

Total  residue - - 138.840 

Amount  of  residue  soluble  in  water - 137.050 

Partial  analysis  of  soluble  residue  : 

Sodium  chloride - - 118.095 

Calcium  chloride - - 16.375 

Magnesium  chloride --. 2.480 

Iodine -- 0.075 

The  portion  of  the  residue  which  was  insoluble  in  water  effervesced,  and  nearly  dis- 
solved when  treated  with  cold  dilute  hydrochloric  acid.  The  portion  soluble  in  water 
showed  the  presence  of  sulphates  and  carbonates  in  very  small  quantities. 


—  91  — 

Water  from   Well  A'^o.  2,  Oil  Wells  Group  2,  Sunset  Oil  District. 
Amount  of  sample  required  to  neutralize  one  gramme  of  sulphuric  acid,  818  cc. ; 

Grammes  to  Gallon. 

Total  residue - --- - 40.77 

Amount  of  residue  soluble  in  water 38.800 

Partial  analysis  of  soluble  portion  : 

Sodium  chloride.   33.521 

Magnesium  chloride — 1.880 

Magnesium  sulphate -. 1.668 

Calcium  sulphate _.- -- - - 1.431 

This  sample  smelled  strongly  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen.  The  portion  of  the  residue 
which  was  insoluble  in  water  effervesced  and  nearly  dissolved  when  treated  with  cold 
dilute  hydrochloric  acid.  The  portion  soluble  in  water  also  showed  the  presence  of 
alkaline  carbonates. 

50  cc.  of  this  sample,  when  concentrated  to  10  cc,  gave  a  strong  reaction  for  iodine. 

Water  from  Well  in  Section  13,  T.  11  K,  E.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M.,  Sunset  Oil  District,  Kern  County. 

Amount  of  sample  required  to  neutralize  one  gramme  of  sulphuric  acid.  127  cc. 

Grammes  to  Gallon. 

Total  residue  ..- - -- 73.332 

Amount  of  residue  soluble  in  water 71.712 

The  portion  of  the  residue  which  was  soluble  in  water  contained  54.81  grammes  of 
sodium  chloride  to  the  gallon  calculated  from  the  amount  of  chlorine  present.  Only  very 
small  quantities  of  calcium  and  magnesium  were  found  in  this  portion  of  the  residue, 
which  also  showed  traces  of  sulphates  and  large  amounts  of  alkaline  carbonates  with- 
out concentration  ;  this  sample  gave  a  slight  reaction  for  iodine. 

Sample  from  Spring  near  Flag  6,  Sunset  Oil  District.    (See  sketch-map.; 

Amount  of  sample  required  to  neutralize  one  gramme  of  sulphuric  acid,  446  cc. 

Grammes  to  Gallon. 

Total  residue 28.365 

Amount  of  residue  soluble  in  water .-- .- 22.270 

The  soluble  portion  of  the  residue  contained  10.58  grammes  of  sodium  chloride  to  the 
gallon,  calculated  from  the  amount  of  chlorine  present.  Only  very  small  quantities  of 
calcium  and  magnesium  were  found  in  this  portion  of  the  residue,  which  also  contained 
sulphates  and  alkaline  carbonates.  This  sample  smelled  strongly  of  sulphuretted 
hydrogen. 

Sample  from  Well  at  Salt  Marsh,  Sunset  Oil  District. 

Amount  of  sample  required  to  neutralize  one  gramme  of  sulphuric  acid,  305  cc. 

Grammes  to  Gallon. 

Total  amount  of  residue - -- 46.645 

Amount  of  residue  soluble  in  water 43.300 

The  soluble  portion  of  this  residue  contained  .37.44  grammes  of  sodium  chloride  to  the 
gallon.  Only  very  small  amounts  of  calcium  and  magnesium  were  found  in  this  portion 
of  the  residue,  wliich  also  showed  the  presence  of  sulphates  in  small  quantities,  and 
alkaline  carbonates.  100  cc.  of  this  water,  when  boiled  down  to  10  cc,  gave  a  strong  re- 
action for  iodine.     Sample  smelled  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen. 

Sample  from  the  Flowing  Well  in  the  Oil  District  Ai7ie  Miles  North  of  Coalinga. 

Amount  of  water  required  to  neutralize  one  gramme  of  sulphuric  acid,  932  cc. 

Grammes  to  Gallon. 

Total  residue 66.64 

Amount  of  residue  soluble  in  water 64.00 

Partial  analysis  of  soluble  portion  of  residue : 

Sodium  chloride 58.030 

Calcium 1.135 

Magnesium - 4.648 

When  50  cc.  of  this  sample  were  concentrated  to  10  cc,  a  strong  reaction  for  iodine  was 
obtained  ;  traces  of  sulphates  and  small  quantities  of  the  alkaline  carbonates  were  also, 
present  in  the  water.  A  sample  of  water  which  was  subsequently  obtained  from  this 
well  was  found  to  contain  0.016  grammes  of  iodine  to  the  gallon. 


92  — 


Sam2ile  from  Petersen  Ranch,  near  Sites,  Colusa  County, 

A  sample  of  mother  liquor,  which  was  forwarded  to  the  Mining  Bureau  from  the  salt 
works  on  the  Petersen  ranch,  near  Sites,  in  Colusa  County,  was  found  to  contain  2.239 
grammes  of  iodine  to  the  gallon. 

In  each  of  the  foregoing  water  analyses  that  portion  of  the  residue 
which  was  soluble  in  water  .gave  a  slight  precipitate  after  the  addition 
of  ammonium  chloride  and  ammonium  hydrate. 

In  the  following  table  the  amount  of  solid  matter,  common  salt,  and 
iodine  contained  in  one  gallon  of  sea  water  is  compared  with  the  amount 
held  in  solution  by  the  brines  mentioned  in  this  bulletin  (small  fractions 
are  eliminated): 


Solid  Matter.  Salt  in  1  Gallon. 
Grammes.  Grammes. 


Iodine. 


Sea  water  maximum.    (See  Manual  of  Min- 
eralogy, by  J.  D.  Dana.) 


Sea  water  minimum.  (See  Manual  of  Min- 
eralogy, by  J.  D.  Dana.) 

Water  from  spring  on  Petersen  ranch,  near 
Sites,  Colusa  County.  (Analysis  made  by 
Dr.  W.  D.  Johnston  ;  see  Tenth  Report  of 
State  Mineralogist,  p.  164) 

Well  No.  3,  Oil  Wells  Group  2,  Sunset  Oil 
District 

Well  No.  2,  Oil  Wells  Group  2,  Sunset  Oil 
District 


Spring  near  Flag  6,  Sunset  Oil  District . 

Well  at  Salt  Marsh,  Sunset  Oil  District 

Flowing  well  in  Sec.  13,  Sunset  Oil  District.. 

Flowing  well,  oil  district  9  miles  north  of 
Coalinga 

Mother  liquor  from  salt  works  on  Petersen 
ranch,  near  Sites,  Colusa  County... 


139.9 
121.0 

204.7 

138.8 

40.8 
28.3 
46.6 

73.3 
66.6 


j  Max.  93.3  [ 
]  Min.  69.9  ( 

J  Max.  80.7 ) 
( Min.  60.5  j 


About  102.3 

118.1 

33.5 
10.6 
37.4 

54.8 
58.0 


0.129 

0.075 

j  Determined 
j  qualitatively. 


J  Determined 
j  qualitatively. 
j  Determined 
(qualitatively. 

0.016 

2.239 


EXPEKIMENTS  ON  EVAPORATION. 


In  order  to  get  some  idea  as  to  the  rate  at  which  brine  would  evapo- 
rate if  it  were  exposed  to  the  sun  and  air  in  the  Sunset  Oil  District,  the 
writer  conducted  two  experiments.  The  apparatus  used  in  these  experi- 
ments consisted  of  a  thick  earthenware  dish  eleven  inches  in  diameter 
at  the  top,  eight  inches  in  diameter  at  the  bottom,  and  two  and  a  half 
inches  deep.  During  each  experiment  the  vessel  was  kept  as  nearly  as 
possible  about  two-thirds  full  of  brine.  The  record  of  these  experiments 
is  as  follows: 


Sample  Marked. 

Date  at  which 
Experiment 
Commenced. 

Duration  of 
Experiment. 

Amount 

of  Brine 

Taken. 

Amount 
of  Brine  at 
End  of  Ex- 
periment. 

Amount 
of  Water 
Evapo- 
rated. 

(a)  Brine  from  flowing  well  in 
Sec.  15,  T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W 

(b)  Brine  from  Salt  Marsh 

June  4,   2  p.m.. 
June24,  10p.m.. 

89  hours. 
92  hours. 

3,000  cc. 
3,600  cc. 

102  cc. 
470  cc. 

2,898  cc. 
3,130  cc. 

—  93  — 


On  the  day  the  first  experiments  on  evaporation  commenced,  the  fol- 
lowing thermometric  observations  were  made  with  glass  Centigrade 
thermometers,  which  hung  freely  in  the  air: 


Time  of  Observation : 


12h  5ni  P.M.      Ih  p.  M. 


2'' 30"  P.M. 


3h  15m  P.M. 


4h25inp.M, 


gh  40m  P.M. 


I  I  I  I  I  I 

Thermometer    exposed    to  i 

sun  and  north  wind 37.50°  C.     38.50°  C.     39.75°  C.     40.00°  C.     39.00°  C.     38.75°  C. 

Thermometer    exposed    to  I  1 

sun    but    screened    from 
north  wind 42.75  42.75  45.00  44.75  40.00  39.00 

Thermometer  in  shade  ex- 
posed to  north  wind 36.00  37.50  37.50  37.75  37.50  37.25 


The  day  on  which  these  experiments  were'  made  was  considered  by 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Sunset  District  to  be  a  warm,  summer  day. 
During  the  second  experiment  on  evaporation  the  weather  was  some- 
what cooler  than  during  the  first  experiment.  During  the  before-men- 
tioned experiments  on  evaporation,  the  vessel  containing  the  brine  was 
exposed  to  the  sun  and  north  wind. 

In  this  connection  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  maximum  tempera- 
ture registered  by  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  in  the  shade  at  Bakers- 
field  on  June  4,  1893,  was  102°  Fahr.,  equal  to  38.5°  C.  An  idea  of  the 
temperature  prevailing  in  this  portion  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  may 
be  gathered  from  the  following  records  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad 
Company,  of  thermometric  observations  made  in  the  shade  at  Bakersfield, 
during  the  year  1893: 


Month. 


Maximum.  I  Minimum. 


Mean. 


1893- 


-Januarv-- - I  69.0°  F.  i       32.0°  F.  !  45.7° 

February j  71.0  32.0  I  52.2 

March 83.0  I       40.0  i  55.8 

April 83.0  46.0  62.7 

May 96.0  59.0  I  75.0 

June  --. 102.0  65.0  '  79.4 

July 108.0  70.0  [  87.9 

August 108.0  72.0  i  85.1 

September.-- 100.0  59.0  I  72.2 

October 79.0  50.0  i  63.3 

November 79.0  ,       35.0  !  55.7 

December 70.0  38.0  51.9 


IMPROVEMENTS   IN   MACHINERY   USED   FOR   DRILLING   DEEP   WELLS. 


The  following  improvements  have  been  devised  and  used  by  Mr.  "W. 
E.  Youle,  Superintendent  of  the  Sunset  Oil  Works  and  of  the  works 
belonging  to  the  Standard  Oil  and  Asphaltum  Company  at  Asphalto. 
The  band-wheel  and  frame  used  in  drilling  deep  well.'^  is  commonly  held 
in  place  by  jack-posts,  which  are  keyed  into  heavy  sills  and  secured  by 
subsills  and  mudsills.  Mr.  Youle  now  uses  a  truss-frame  anchored  by 
two  one-inch  bolts,  which  extend  into  a  sill  8  feet  long  and  12  inches  in 
thickness.  This  sill  is  covered  with  boards  and  buried  to  the  depth  of 
about  4  feet,  with  earth  tamped  upon  it.  The  ends  of  the  bolts  at  the 
bottom  of  the  sill  are  secured  by  drift  keys  instead  of  nuts.  A  truss- 
frame  thus  secured  is  found  to  be  very  stable  for  deep  drilling,  and  saves 


-  94  — 

about  4,000  feet  of  square  timber.  The  writer  saw  such  a  truss-frame 
employed  at  the  Sunset  Oil  District,  when  Well  No.  3,  of  Oil  Wells 
Group  2,  was  being  drilled.  The  set  of  tools  then  in  use  weighed  more 
than  one  ton,  and  the  well  was  1 ,300  feet  in  depth,  but  no  trembling 
was  observed  in  the  truss-frame.  The  friction  pulley  of  the  sand-reel, 
which  is  used  to  elevate  and  lower  the  sand-pump,  is  usually  attached 
to  a  lever  which  has  a  friction  bearing  on  the  band-wheel.  It  was  found 
that  this  gearing  had  a  tendency  to  roughen  the  band- wheel  and  injure 
the  belt.  To  remedy  this,  Mr.  Youle  now  sets  his  sand-reel  at  such  a 
distance  from  the  band-wheel  that  it  can  be  run  by  a  belt  from  a  supple- 
mentary wheel,  which  is  lagged  on  to  the  side  of  the  band-wheel.  This 
supplementary  wheel  is  supplied  with  flanges  to  prevent  the  belt  which 
drives  the  sand-reel  from  running  ofl".  This  belt  is  put  on  so  loosely 
that  it  can  rest  on  carriers  when  the  sand-reel  is  not  in  use.  The  carriers 
are  placed  between  the  pulleys,  and  although  the  belt  does  not  sag, 
it  is  sufficiently  slack  to  avoid,  as  much  as  possible,  any  friction  on 
the  sand-reel  belt  during  the  process  of  drilling.  When  the  sand-pump 
is  required,  the  sand-reel  belt  is  brought  into  position  by  a  tightener, 
which  is  operated  by  a  lever.  This  lever  is  connected  by  a  rod  to  an 
arm  in  the  derrick,  on  the  same  principle  as  are  the  connections  used 
when  frictional  gearing  is  employed.  A  back-brake  is  attached  to  the 
sand-reel,  and  it  can  be  brought  into  play  during  the  process  of  lowering 
the  sand-pump  by  throwing  it  on  back  motion.  The  brake  is  operated 
by  the  same  arm  as  that  governing  the  tightener.  A  sand-reel  was  oper- 
ated in  this  manner  for  three  months  at  the  Sunset  Wells,  without  the 
reel  and  belting  exhibiting  any  signs  of  being  the  worse  for  wear. 

A  great  improvement  has  also  been  made  in  the  bull-wheels.  Those 
of  ordinary  construction  consist  of  a  wooden  shaft  13  feet  long  and  18 
inches  square,  with  a  four-winged,  cast-iron  gudgeon  mortised  on  each 
end,  around  which  wrought-iron  Ijands  are  shrunk.  Near  each  end  of 
the  shaft  are  wooden  arms  "put  on  octagon."  Around  the  outer  diame-. 
ter  of  these  arms  segments  or  cants  of  planks  are  fastened  to  form  the 
periphery  of  the  wheel.  In  the  wheel  built  by  Mr.  Youle,  the  wooden 
shaft  is  replaced  by  10-inch  wrought-iron  drive-pipe.  Two  cast-iron 
flanges  are  fastened  to  each  end  of  this  pipe,  their  centers  being  counter- 
bored  to  admit  the  passage  of  the  pipe,  and  each  end  flange  terminates 
in  a  gudgeon.  The  flanges  are  pressed  on  by  hydraulic  pressure,  and  a 
very  rigid  connection  is  made.  The  wooden  wheels,  which  are  bolted 
between  the  flanges,  are  simply  nailed  together  so  as  to  give  the  proper 
diameter  to  the  wheels.  To  increase  the  diameter  of  the  bull-wheel 
shaft  an  old  cable  is  reeled  upon  it  until  it  has  attained  the  required 
dimensions.  These  wheels  can  be  readily  "knocked  down"  for  ship- 
ment. A  pair  of  these  wheels  were  in  constant  use  for  five  months  at 
the  Sunset  Oil  Wells,  and  showed  no  signs  of  -deterioration. 

In  driving  long  strings  of  casing  from  the  top,  difficulty  frequently 
arises  from  the  pipe  buckling.  To  obviate  this  Mr.  Youle  devised 
the  following  method  for  driving  strings  of  casing  from  the  bottom: 
While  enough  pressure  is  simultaneously  brought  to  bear  on  the  top 
of  the  casing  to  make  it  follow  and  to  prevent  the  joints  from  pull- 
ing apart,  a  heavy  steel  coupling  is  screwed  or  riveted  within  the 
last  joint  of  the  main  string  of  casing.  The  diameter  of  this  coupling, 
measured  between  the  threads,  is  an  eighth  of  an  inch  less  than  the  in- 
side diameter  of  the  casing.     The  constriction  thus  formed  furnishes  a 


—  95  — 

shoulder  for  a  plug,  which  is  lowered  at  the  end  of  the  tools,  to  rest  on. 
When  the  plug  is  in  place,  driving  is  commenced.  One  of  the  principal 
advantages  of  driving  casing  from  the  bottom  is  that  it  jars  and  loosens 
the  surrounding  earth  or  rock  at  the  point  where  there  is  the  greatest 
resistance  to  the  downward  passage  of  the  pipe. 


INDEX. 


A  Page. 

Air  Currents,  underground - 8 

Analysis  of  Calif orfiia  coals. ..  .-. - - 88 

of  coal  gas - --- - 85 

of  natural  gas - — - - 81,82 

of  producer  gas —        84 

of  Pacific  Coast  coals 86,  88 

of  water  from  oil  wells-.. ...90,91,92 

Asphalt,  cost  of  working  crude ..        52 

California  and  foreign,  analysis  of 52 

volatile  and  fixed  carbon  in 53 

Asphaltum,  beds  at  Asphalto 44,45 

cost  of  producing  refined  at  Sunset  "Works 27 

in  Sunset  District  .  26 

refinery  at  Asphalto 45,  50,  51.52 

refinery  at  Sunset  Oil  Wells -.. 26,27,28 

veins  in  Buena  Vista  District ... 46,  47,  48,  49,  50 

veins  in  Buena  Vista  District,  renaarks  on... 49,  50 

Asylum  Gas  Wells  at  Stockton 18 

6 

Bakersfield  Oil  Claims,  Sunset  District 26 

Bakersfield,  temperature  at 93 

Bear  Creek,  Colusa  County,  oil  at.. 6 

Bituminous  Formation  in  Fresno  County 55,  56 

in  Kings  County 53.  54, 55 

Blair  Mine,  Placer  County,  gas  at 10 

Buckeye  Mill,  Yuba  County,  gas  at 8 

Buena  Vista  Oil  District..".... 41 

topography  of 42 

rocky  formations  of 42,  43 

Buena  Vista  Oil  Company 41,  44.  45 

Bull  Wheels 94 

Burner  for  natural  gas 73 

Butte  County,  gas  in... 8 

Byron  Springs  Gas  Wells,  Contra  Costa  County 19 

C 

Central  Valley  of  California 5 

Central  Gas  Well,  Stockton. 19 

Citizens  Gas  Well,  Stockton 19 

Clayey  Strata  in  Central  Vallej' of  California 69 

Coal,  California,  analj'ses  of.. 86,  88 

Coal  Mine,  California 57 

Fresno  County 56,  57,  58,  59 

San  .Toaquin  County 57 

Coals,  Pacific  Coast,  analyses  of 88 

Coal  Gas,  analyses  of 85 

Comparison  of"  Stockton  and  Eastern  natural  gas 81,  82,  83,  84 

Cutler  Salmon  Ranch,  gas  well  on 19 

D 

Davis  Ranch,  Sutter  County,  gas  on... 9 

Diatoms  in  piiales ". 71,  72 

Distillation  Tests,  record  of 89,90 

Drilling  Machinery,  improvements  in 93,94 

E 
Evaporation,  experiments  in 92.  93 

F 

Formation  at  Blair  Mine,  Placer  County 10 

at  Bear  Creek,  Colusa  County 6 

in  Central  Valley  of  California 67.68 

of  Fresno  County  coal  mines 57 

of  Marvsville  Buttes 9,10 

north  o'f  Coalinga 65,66 

7m 


—  98  — 

Page. 

Formation  at  Rio  Bravo  Ranch,  Kern  County  ._ 21,  39 

in  San  Joaquin  Vallej' . 71,  72 

in  Sacramento  gas  wells - 15, 16, 17 

in  Stockton  gas  wells .-.    -..15, 16, 17,69,70 

at  Stovall  Ranch,  Colusa  County 5 

near  Sites,  Colusa  County 7 

of  Sunset  Oil  District... ...23,24,25,26,28,29,30,31,36,37 

at  Wick's  Ranch,  Butte  County 8 

at  Yuba  City 9 

Fossils,  Buena  Yista  District... 42 

Colusa  County 6,  7 

at  Coalinga,  Fresno  County .56,57,58,59,60,62,63,64,65 

at  Coalinga  Gypsum  ISIine... 63,64 

Fresno  County 55,56 

Kings  County 54,  55 

Marysville  Buttes 10 

north  of  Coalinga 65 

Rio  Bravo  Ranch,  Kern  County 39,  40 

San  Emidio  Grant 38 

Sutter  County .- 10 

Tulare  County 20 

Freshwater  Creek,  Colusa  County,  gas  at 5.  6 

Fresno  County,  gas  in 24 

oil  claims  in 56 

bituminous  formations 55,  56 

Fuel  Value  of  different  gases 85 

Fuel  Value  of  Natural  Gas,  experiments  with 72.  73,  74,  77,  80 

estimating 72,  73,  74,  77 

Kern  County  78,79 

Sacramento  wells 78,  79 

Stockton  wells 72,  73,  74,  75,  76,  77,  78,  79,  81,82,83,84 

G 

Gas  in  Butte  County... 8 

in  Colusa  County 5 

conditions  of  occurrence 14 

in  Fresno  County 20 

fuel  value  of -...72,  73,  74,  75,  76,  77,  78,  79,  80 

fuel  value  of,  Kern  County 78,  79 

fuel  value  of,  Sacramento 76,  79 

in  Glenn  Countv -. 7 

in  Kern  County 20,21,39,41,78,79 

in  Merced  County 20 

in  Placer  County --. 10 

pressure  of 1 - 14 

physical  experiments  with - 77,  78 

on  Rio  Bravo  Ranch 39 

in  Sacramento  Valley 5, 14, 15 

in  Sacramento  Countv 10, 11, 12, 13 

in  San  Joaquin  County .15,16,17,18,19,20 

in  Solano  County 5 

in  Sutter  County ---  8 

in  Stanislaus  County 19 

in  storage  in  Central  Valley  of  California 68 

in  Stockton,  analysis  of ---  ^    75 

in  Stockton,  value  of - 77,  78 

in  Stockton,  compared  with  Eastern 81, 82,  83,  84 

in  Tulare  County 20,70 

in  Tehama  County 7,  8 

wells  near  Stockton 19 

in  Yuba  County 8,9 

Gas-Yielding  Strata  at  Stockton ---  19 

Geology  of  Central  Valley  of  California ---  67 

of  coal  mines  at  Coalinga , ._ 59 

of  district  north  of  Coalinga 65 

of  oil  claims  at  Coalinga -- 59 

(See  Formation.) 

Geological  Investigations  for  gas 14 

Geological  Features  in  San  Joaquin  Valley... ---  "1 

Goodyear  Station,  gas  at --  5 

Grant-Street  Gas  Well,  Stockton 19 

Gypsum  at  Coalinga... 63,64 

in  Sunset  District -  35,36 


—  99  — 

H  Page. 

Haas  Well,  Stockton  . - "0 

Haggin  Ranch,  Sacramento  County,  gas  at --        10 

J 

Jacobs  Ranch,  Tulare  County,  gas  at 20,  70 

Jackson  Well  No.  1,  Stockton - 17 

Jackson  Well  No.  2,  Stockton - - ^;;-a--aa  iZ' Ix 

Jewett  &  Blodgett  Oil  Wells -- - -- 26,27,28,29,30 

K 

Kern  County,  gas  and  oil  in -   "^  k? 

Kettles  for  retining  asphalt 51 

Kettleman  Plains,  Kings  County  .. 54 

Kettleman  Hills,  Tertiary  strata  in - ---        67 

Kings  County,  bituminous  formations 53,  54,  55 

Kreyenhagen  Ranch,  Fresno  County,  geology  of 53 

L 

Lathrop  Junction,  gas  well  at - 19 

Lamhertson  Ranch,  Tulare  County,  gas  at -0 

Lignite  Analysis.    (See  Coal.) 

Little  Peak,  Fresno  County,  fossils ••-- 59 

M 

Marysville  Buttes,  formation  of SjlO 

Merced  County,  natural  gas  in.. 20 

N 
Norrls  Grant,  Sacramento  County,  gas  at 10 

0 

Oil.     (See  Petroleum.) 

Oil  Queen  Claim,  Sunset  District -- - -6 

Organic  Remains  in  Central  Valley  of  California 68 

Quid's  Ranch,  Merced  County,  gas  at 20 

P 

Petersen  Ranch,  Colusa  County,  gas  at 6,  7 

Petroleum,  Bear  Creek,  Colusa  County ♦j 

Buena  Vista  District . --- 41,  42,43 

claims  east  of  Sunset  District '. 33 

distillation  tests... - --- - ^9.  90 

Fresno  County 56,  57 

Kern  County 20-33 

near  Mountain  House,  Colusa  County 6 

at  McMichael  Ranch,  Colusa  Countj' 6 

north  of  Coalinga,  Fresno  County 60,  61,  62,  65,66 

seepages  in  Sunset  District ^h^^ 

at  Sunset  District,  specific  gravity  of — ---  27,  31 

at  Sunset  District .-- 26,36 

at  Sunset  District,  record  of  wells ...28,  29,  30,  31 

wells  of  Jewett  ct  Blodgett - ....27,28,29,30 

yielding  formations  of  Central  Valley  of  California 67 

Placer  County,  natural  gas  in --- 10 

Pope  Salmon  Ranch,  gas  wells  on 19 

Potrero  Wells,  gas  at 5 

Producer  Gas -   83,84 

Pumping  Plant  for  petroleum ■■- -        27 

Pumping  several  wells  simultaneously. ..  - - 27,28 

R 

Ravenna  Claim,  Sunset  District 26 

Refining  Asphalt  at  Sunset  District 27,28 

at  Asphalto 45,46,50,51,52 

Refining  Petroleum  at  Sunset  District 28,29 

Rideout  Ranch,  clenn  Countj',  gas  at ---  7 

Rio  Bravo  Ranch,  Kern  County,  gas  at... 39 

Roberts  Island,  San  Joaquin  County,  gas  well  on 19 

S 

Sacramento  City,  natural  gas  wells  in 10, 11, 12, 13 

Sacramento  County,  natural  gas  wells  in 10,  11, 12, 13 

Sacramento  Valley 5 

remarks  on  natural  gas  in.. 13, 14 

Salt  Creek,  Colusa  County,  gas  at •. '^ 

Salt  Marsh,  Sunset  District 32 


—  100  — 

Page. 

Sandstone,  blue,  thickness  of 68 

Fresno  County 57,  58 

San  Emidlo  Grant  .!! _   38 

San  Joaquin  Valley  gas  wells 15, 16, 17. 18,  i9,  20,68,69 

Shale,  light-colored  siliceous 23,24,25,61,62,66,  71 

light-colored,  thickness  of 67 

Siliceous  Rocks,  Buena  Vista  District ._. 42,43,44 

Sites  Station,  Colusa  County,  gas  and  oil  at 6 

Solano  County,  natural  gas  in 5 

Springs  in  Solano  ("ounty 5 

Standard  Asphalt  Company... 41,44,45 

Stanislaus  County,  natural  gas  in 19 

Stockton  Gas  Wells 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 69,  70 

gas-yielding  strata  in 69,  70 

compared  with  Eastern 81,82,83,84 

Stockton  Gas,  Light,  and  Heat  Company's  Wells 18 

Stockton  Natural  Gas  Company's  Wells 18 

St.  Agnes  Gas  Well,  Stockton 18,  70 

Strata  overlying  gas  formation 14 

Stovall  Ranch,  Colusa  County,  gas  at 5,6 

Sulphur  Creek,  Colusa  County,  gas  and  oil  at 6 

Sulphur  Deposits,  genesis  of. 35 

in  Sunset  District 33,  34,  35 

Sunset  Claim,  Sunset  District : 26 

Sunset  Oil  District,  geology  of 22,37 

topograplij^  of --- .- 21,  22 

minerals,  oils,  and  bituminous  deposits  of .  26 

remarks  on 36,  37,  38 

Sutter  County,  natural  gas  in 8 

T 

Tar  Canyon,  Fresno  County,  geology  of 56 

Tehama  County,  natural  gas  in '. 7,8 

Texas  Claim,  Sunset  District 33 

Temperature  at  Bakersfield 93 

Tertiary  Strata  in  Kettleman  Hills , 67 

Thurman  Ranch,  Tehama  County,  gas  at 8 

Tulare  County,  natural  gas  in 20 

Tulare  Lake,  Tulare  County,  gas  at 20 

Tuscan  Springs,  Tehama  Coi;nty,  gas  at 8 

V 

Vacaville,  Solano  County,  gas  at 5 

Valley  Lands  of  Kern  County 21 

Veins  of  Asphaltum.    (See  Asplialtiim  Veins.) 

W 
Water  Analysis,  Eio  Bravo  Well 39 

of  various  wells 90,91,92 

Wells,  Petroleum.    (See  Petroleum.) 

drilling  machinery  for 93,  94 

White's  Bridge,  Fresno  County,  gas  at 20 

Wick's  Ranch,  Butte  County,  gas  at.. 8 

Y 

Yuba  City  wells,  gas  in 8,9 

Yutoa  County,  gas  in 8 


THIS   BOOK    IS    DUE   ON    THE    LAST    DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN  THIS  BOOK 
ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY  WILL  INCREASE  TO 
50  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH  DAY  AND  TO  $1.00  ON  THE 
SEVENTH  DAY  OVERDUE. 


MAY  2  3  1965 


m. 


JUN 


ms 


FEB  26  1986 

HtCEIVED 

FEB  2  0  'l9aB 

PHYS  SCI  LIBRARY 


MAR  2^  ml 

AYS  SCI  f-iBRfiJ-' 


I 


Book  Slip-30m-8,'54(6210s4)458 


PHYSICAL  ^  ^ 

SCIENCES  A  3 

LIBRARY  ->r^ .  3 


fSlBRAKT 


'W^^";.v,s 


124931 


OF  CAUJOWItt 


3>T^-J|l|f 


